2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ratkovic
A Serbian and Croatian surname derived from the possessive form of the word "ratko" meaning "warrior" or "soldier".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 182 Americans carry the last name Ratkovic. That puts it at #116,252 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,883,266 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ratkovic 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
182
1 in 1,883,266
Census rank
#116,252
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
159
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 159 bearers of the surname Ratkovic in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 116252nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratkovic, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ratkovic
The surname Ratkovic originated in the Balkan region, specifically in Croatia and Serbia. It is believed to have derived from the Slavic word "ratnik," meaning "warrior" or "soldier." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who served in the military or were renowned for their combat prowess.
One of the earliest known references to the Ratkovic surname can be found in the 14th century, in Croatian historical records. During this period, the name was often spelled as "Ratković" or "Ratkovič," reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Ratkovic surname was Mihovil Ratkovic, a Croatian military leader who played a significant role in the defense of the city of Dubrovnik against Ottoman invasions. His actions earned him recognition and contributed to the preservation of the city's independence.
The 16th century saw the emergence of Matija Ratkovic, a Serbian writer and scholar who made significant contributions to the development of the Serbian literary language. His works, including translations of religious texts, helped to establish a standardized form of the language and influenced subsequent generations of writers.
In the 17th century, the Ratkovic name appeared in various historical records across the Balkan region. One notable individual was Pavle Ratkovic, a Serbian Orthodox priest and writer who authored several theological works and served as a bishop in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The 19th century brought forth Jovan Ratkovic, a Serbian painter and a prominent figure in the Romantic movement. His landscapes and portraits captured the beauty of the Serbian countryside and contributed to the development of Serbian national art.
Throughout the centuries, the Ratkovic surname has been associated with various professions, including military leaders, writers, scholars, clergy, and artists. While the name originated in the Balkans, it has since spread to other regions through migration and has been adopted by individuals of diverse backgrounds.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ratkovic
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratkovic, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ratkovic 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 Ratkovic surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.5% · 136
- Hispanic or Latino6.9% · 11
- Two or more races6.9% · 11
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ratkovic
Ratkovic 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+13 bearers (+11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,308 places
2020
#116,252
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 159
+36 bearers (+29.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 20,197 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.8%) | Up 3,308 places |
| 2020 | #116,252 | 159 | 0.05 | +36 bearers (+29.3%) | Up 20,197 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 Ratkovic 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 | #136,449 | #116,252 | 14.8% |
| Count | 123 | 159 | 29.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 33.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ratkovic bearers went from 123 to 159 (+29.3% change). The surname moved up 20,197 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #116,252.
FAQ
Ratkovic surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ratkovic?
Name Census estimates that about 182 living Americans carry the surname Ratkovic. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,883,266 residents.
How common is Ratkovic?
Ratkovic ranks #116,252 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 159 people with the surname Ratkovic. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (182), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Ratkovic.
Has Ratkovic become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ratkovic went from 123 recorded bearers to 159. That is an increase of 36 (+29.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #136,449 to #116,252.
What does the Census say about the background of Ratkovic?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratkovic, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Two or More Races (6.9%). 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 Ratkovic in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.5% (136 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ratkovic appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.5%), Hispanic (6.9%), Two or More Races (6.9%). 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 Ratkovic (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 Ratkovic mean?
A Serbian and Croatian surname derived from the possessive form of the word "ratko" meaning "warrior" or "soldier". 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 Ratkovic (0.05 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 common is the surname Ratkovic?
Want to know how many people have the surname Ratkovic? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.