2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Semenick
A surname of Ukrainian/Russian origin meaning "member of the semen (family) clan".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Semenick. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Semenick 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Semenick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Semenick, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Semenick
The surname Semenick is believed to have originated in Belarus, a country located in Eastern Europe. It is thought to derive from the Belarusian word "семянік," which translates to "seedling" or "young plant." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with those who worked in agriculture, particularly with the cultivation and management of seedlings.
During the medieval period, the name Semenick can be found in various historical records and manuscripts from the region. One notable reference is in the Metrica, a collection of documents from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which included parts of modern-day Belarus. The name appears in the Metrica as early as the 15th century, indicating its long-standing presence in the area.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Semenick can be traced back to the late 14th century. In a document dated 1392, a man named Iван Семенік (Ivan Semenik) is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Semenikovo, near the city of Minsk. This village likely took its name from the Semenick family, further emphasizing the surname's deep roots in the region.
Over the centuries, the spelling of the surname has undergone various variations, including Semenick, Semenyk, Semienik, and Semenyuk. These variations reflect the influence of different languages and dialects in the areas where the name was prevalent.
One notable figure with the surname Semenick was Yuri Semenick (1890-1962), a Belarusian painter and art educator who played a significant role in the development of Belarusian national art during the early 20th century. His works often depicted scenes from rural life and the Belarusian countryside.
Another individual worth mentioning is Alena Semenick (1908-1986), a Belarusian writer and poet who was a prominent figure in the Belarusian literary scene during the Soviet era. Her works explored themes of love, nature, and the struggles of the Belarusian people under Soviet rule.
In the field of science, Mikhail Semenick (1920-1998) was a renowned Belarusian physicist who made significant contributions to the study of semiconductors and the development of semiconductor devices. His research laid the foundation for many modern electronic technologies.
Ivan Semenick (1864-1924) was a notable Belarusian artist and sculptor who is best known for his sculptures depicting scenes from Belarusian folklore and rural life. His works can be found in various museums and public spaces across Belarus.
Lastly, Nadezhda Semenick (1945-2018) was a Belarusian author and journalist who wrote extensively on topics related to Belarusian culture, history, and traditions. Her works helped preserve and promote the rich heritage of her homeland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Semenick
Among Census respondents with the surname Semenick, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Semenick 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 Semenick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 6
- Two or more races4.9% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Semenick
Semenick 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-16 bearers (-13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 26,598 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+2 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 5,530 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 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -16 bearers (-13.7%) | Down 26,598 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | +2 bearers (+2.0%) | Up 5,530 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 Semenick 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 | #159,712 | #154,182 | 3.5% |
| Count | 101 | 103 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 14.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Semenick bearers went from 101 to 103 (+2.0% change). The surname moved up 5,530 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #154,182.
FAQ
Semenick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Semenick?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Semenick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Semenick?
Semenick ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Semenick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Semenick.
Has Semenick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Semenick went from 101 recorded bearers to 103. That is an increase of 2 (+2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Semenick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Semenick, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Semenick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Semenick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Hispanic (5.8%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Semenick (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 Semenick mean?
A surname of Ukrainian/Russian origin meaning "member of the semen (family) clan". 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 Semenick (0.03 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 Semenick?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Semenick on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.