2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rybeck
A surname derived from a place name containing a topographic element referring to a small stream or creek.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Rybeck. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rybeck 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Rybeck in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rybeck, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rybeck
The surname RYBECK is believed to have originated in Poland, with records dating back to the early 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Polish word "ryba," meaning "fish," which suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the fishing trade or those who lived near bodies of water where fishing was a common occupation.
One of the earliest documented references to the surname RYBECK can be found in the tax records of the city of Krakow, Poland, from the year 1534. These records list several individuals with the surname, indicating that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the RYBECK surname spread across various parts of Central and Eastern Europe, including present-day Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. This dispersal was likely due to migration patterns and the movement of people within the region.
Notable individuals with the surname RYBECK include Jan Rybeck (1568-1637), a Polish painter and engraver known for his religious artwork and contributions to the Baroque art movement. Another prominent figure was Katarzyna Rybeck (1701-1784), a Polish noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the development of her region's economy and infrastructure.
In the 19th century, the RYBECK surname began to appear in records from other parts of Europe and beyond, as members of the family emigrated to various countries. One such individual was Friedrich Rybeck (1832-1903), a German-born engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early combustion engines and automotive technology.
Another noteworthy figure was Mariya Rybeck (1887-1962), a Russian-born writer and journalist who gained recognition for her work advocating for women's rights and social reforms in the early 20th century.
More recently, the RYBECK surname has been carried by individuals like Andrzej Rybeck (1935-2019), a Polish historian and academic who specialized in the study of medieval European history and the Crusades.
While the surname RYBECK has its roots in Poland and Central Europe, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries and cultures. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide insights into the origins and early development of this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rybeck
Among Census respondents with the surname Rybeck, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rybeck 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 Rybeck surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 5
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rybeck
Rybeck 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-13 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,197 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+5 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,299 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 23,197 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.9%) | Up 6,299 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 Rybeck 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 | #157,234 | #150,935 | 4.0% |
| Count | 103 | 108 | 4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rybeck bearers went from 103 to 108 (+4.9% change). The surname moved up 6,299 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #150,935.
FAQ
Rybeck surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rybeck?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Rybeck. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Rybeck?
Rybeck ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Rybeck. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Rybeck.
Has Rybeck become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rybeck went from 103 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 5 (+4.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Rybeck?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rybeck, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Rybeck in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rybeck appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Rybeck (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 Rybeck mean?
A surname derived from a place name containing a topographic element referring to a small stream or creek. 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 Rybeck (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 share the surname Rybeck?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.