2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rylko
A Polish surname potentially derived from a diminutive form of a personal name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Rylko. 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 Rylko 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 Rylko 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 Rylko, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.4%) and Black (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rylko
The surname RYLKO is of Polish origin, dating back to the medieval period in the region of Greater Poland. It is derived from the Polish word "rylec," which means "awl" or "punch," referring to a tool used for making holes or decorative patterns in materials like leather or wood.
RYLKO was likely an occupational surname initially, given to individuals who worked as leatherworkers, shoemakers, or craftsmen dealing with leather goods. The name's earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the 14th century in various historical records and documents from the region.
One of the earliest known references to the RYLKO surname appears in a manuscript dated 1387, which mentions a craftsman named Jan RYLKO from the town of Poznan. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and its connection to the leatherworking trade during that time period.
In the 16th century, the RYLKO name appears in several church records and tax registers from the town of Gniezno, indicating a notable presence of families bearing this surname in the area. Around this time, variations in spelling, such as RYLKA and RYLKE, were also commonly used.
Throughout history, several individuals with the RYLKO surname have gained recognition in various fields. One notable figure was Maciej RYLKO (1805-1878), a Polish poet and writer who contributed significantly to the literature of the Romantic period in Poland.
Another prominent individual was Stanisław RYLKO (1911-1998), a Polish mathematician and logician known for his work in mathematical logic and set theory. He made significant contributions to the development of the branch of mathematics known as point-set topology.
In the realm of sports, Jan RYLKO (1939-2022) was a renowned Polish football player and coach. He played as a striker for several Polish clubs, including Górnik Zabrze and Ruch Chorzów, and represented the Polish national team in international competitions.
Aleksandra RYLKO (born 1981) is a contemporary Polish writer and journalist known for her novels and short stories exploring themes of identity, relationships, and modern society.
The RYLKO surname has also been present in various regions beyond Poland, as Polish communities have migrated and settled in other parts of the world over the centuries. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the medieval period in the Greater Poland region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rylko
Among Census respondents with the surname Rylko, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.4%) and Black (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Rylko 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 Rylko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.3% · 90
- Two or more races7.4% · 8
- Black or African American3.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rylko
Rylko 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-8 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,338 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 483 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 17,338 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 483 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 Rylko 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 | #150,935 | -0.3% |
| Count | 109 | 108 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rylko bearers went from 109 to 108 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 483 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #150,935.
FAQ
Rylko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rylko?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Rylko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Rylko?
Rylko 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 Rylko. 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 Rylko.
Has Rylko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rylko went from 109 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Rylko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rylko, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.4%) and Black (3.7%). 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 Rylko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.3% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rylko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.3%), Two or More Races (7.4%), Black (3.7%). 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 Rylko (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 Rylko mean?
A Polish surname potentially derived from a diminutive form of a personal name. 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 Rylko (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 are called Rylko?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Rylko at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.