2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Raszka
A surname of Polish origin, possibly derived from the name of the town of Raszka.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Raszka. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Raszka 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Raszka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Raszka, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Raszka
The surname Raszka is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the town of Raszka, located in the southwestern part of present-day Poland, near the city of Kielce.
The name Raszka likely derives from the Slavic root word "raza," which means "strike" or "blow." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a blacksmith or was involved in a profession that involved striking or hammering.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Raszka surname dates back to the 14th century, when a nobleman named Jakub Raszka was mentioned in a manuscript from the Krakow region. This document indicates that the Raszka family held land and property in the area during that time period.
In the late 15th century, a man named Jan Raszka was listed in the records of the city of Poznan, where he was a respected merchant and tradesman. His name appears in several historical documents related to the local guild system.
During the 16th century, a Polish nobleman named Mikolaj Raszka was known for his military service and participated in several battles against the invading forces of the Ottoman Empire. Records from this era mention his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
In the 17th century, a renowned scholar and theologian named Andrzej Raszka made significant contributions to the intellectual and religious life of Poland. He authored several books on theology and philosophy, which were widely read and discussed within academic circles.
Another notable figure with the Raszka surname was Stanislaw Raszka, who lived in the late 18th century and was a prominent figure in the Polish independence movement. He actively opposed the partitions of Poland and was involved in organizing resistance efforts against the occupying powers.
Throughout history, the Raszka surname has been associated with various locations and place names in Poland, such as Raszka Mala (Little Raszka) and Raszka Wielka (Great Raszka), as well as other variations in spelling and pronunciation. Despite its relatively rare occurrence, the name has persisted over the centuries, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Raszka
Among Census respondents with the surname Raszka, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Raszka 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 Raszka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.2% · 117
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Raszka
Raszka appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-18 bearers (-15.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 28,716 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+18 bearers (+18.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 17,464 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -18 bearers (-15.3%) | Down 28,716 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+18.0%) | Up 17,464 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 Raszka 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 | #160,975 | #143,511 | 10.8% |
| Count | 100 | 118 | 18.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Raszka bearers went from 100 to 118 (+18.0% change). The surname moved up 17,464 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #143,511.
FAQ
Raszka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Raszka?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Raszka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Raszka?
Raszka ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Raszka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Raszka.
Has Raszka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Raszka went from 100 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 18 (+18.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Raszka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Raszka, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Raszka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.2% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Raszka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.2%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Raszka (2000, 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 Raszka mean?
A surname of Polish origin, possibly derived from the name of the town of Raszka. 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 Raszka (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 surname Raszka?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.