Find out how popular the last name Puhak is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Puhak.

Puhak, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Puhak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Puhak in America

Puhak is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Puhak surname appeared 112 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Puhak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Puhak to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Puhak

The surname Puhak has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, specifically in the areas that are now part of Ukraine and western Russia. The name likely dates back to the 16th or 17th century and is thought to be derived from the Slavic word "pukh," meaning "down" or "soft feathers."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Puhak can be found in the archives of the city of Lviv, Ukraine, dating back to the mid-17th century. The records mention a merchant named Mykola Puhak, who was involved in the fur trade and likely took his surname from the soft, downy feathers used in the production of fur garments.

In the late 18th century, the name Puhak appeared in the records of the Russian Empire, particularly in the regions of modern-day Belarus and western Russia. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Ivan Puhak, a landowner and influential figure in the city of Minsk.

As the Slavic populations migrated and settled in different parts of Eastern Europe, the name Puhak spread to other regions. In the 19th century, it became more prevalent in areas such as Poland and Slovakia, where variations like Puchak and Puchok were also common.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Puhak was Yuri Puhak (1892-1964), a Ukrainian artist and sculptor known for his contribution to the development of the Ukrainian Avant-Garde movement in the early 20th century. His works can be found in museums across Ukraine and Russia.

Another notable figure was Maksym Puhak (1901-1983), a Ukrainian writer and journalist who played a significant role in the literary scene of Soviet Ukraine. His novels and short stories explored themes of rural life and the struggles of the Ukrainian people under Soviet rule.

In the 20th century, the Puhak surname also made its way to other parts of the world through immigration. For example, in the United States, there was a prominent lawyer named Michael Puhak (1942-2018) who specialized in intellectual property law and was a respected figure in the legal community.

Overall, the surname Puhak has a rich history rooted in the Slavic cultures of Eastern Europe, with links to various occupations and notable individuals who helped shape the cultural and artistic landscape of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Puhak

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Puhak.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Puhak was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Puhak has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Puhak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Puhak, please contact us.

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