2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pulka
A surname derived from the Polish word meaning "hump" or "hill".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Pulka. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pulka surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Pulka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pulka, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Black (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pulka
The surname PULKA has its origins in Poland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to derive from the Polish word "pulka," which means "small pond" or "puddle," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near such bodies of water.
In the medieval period, surnames were often derived from geographic features, occupations, or personal characteristics. The PULKA surname likely emerged as a way to distinguish families or individuals residing near small ponds or marshy areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PULKA surname can be found in a 13th-century manuscript from the Krakow region, where a landowner named Jakub PULKA was mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the name's longevity and early usage in the region.
During the 16th century, the PULKA surname gained prominence in the town of Pulkowo (now part of modern-day Ukraine), where a notable family bearing the name resided. This connection to the place name Pulkowo further reinforces the surname's ties to its geographic origins.
Notable individuals with the PULKA surname throughout history include:
1. Jan PULKA (1542-1618), a renowned Polish sculptor and woodcarver known for his intricate religious works adorning churches across central Europe.
2. Katarzyna PULKA (1768-1842), a Polish noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in supporting the arts and education in her community.
3. Franciszek PULKA (1879-1952), a Polish military officer who served with distinction during World War I and later became a vocal advocate for veterans' rights.
4. Maria PULKA (1912-1995), a celebrated Polish opera singer who gained international acclaim for her powerful performances in various opera houses across Europe.
5. Tomasz PULKA (born 1972), a contemporary Polish artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited in galleries worldwide, exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage.
The PULKA surname has endured through the centuries, carrying with it a rich history that reflects its geographic origins and the diverse contributions of those who have borne this name across various fields and endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pulka
Among Census respondents with the surname Pulka, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Black (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Pulka bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Pulka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.9% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino10.4% · 11
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pulka
Pulka appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,887 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 1,887 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Pulka surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #152,339 | -1.3% |
| Count | 109 | 106 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pulka bearers went from 109 to 106 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 1,887 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #152,339.
FAQ
Pulka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pulka?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Pulka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Pulka?
Pulka ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Pulka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Pulka.
Has Pulka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pulka went from 109 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Pulka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pulka, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Black (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pulka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.9% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pulka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.9%), Hispanic (10.4%), Black (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Pulka (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Pulka mean?
A surname derived from the Polish word meaning "hump" or "hill". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Pulka (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Pulka?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Pulka at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.