Find out how popular the last name Šerak is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Šerak.

Šerak, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Šerak surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Šerak in America

Šerak is the 150436th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Šerak surname appeared 100 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Šerak.

The history of the last name Šerak

The surname Serak is believed to have its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly within the regions that now constitute modern-day Poland and the Czech Republic. The name itself is likely derived from an Old Slavic word or a local dialect, though the exact etymology remains somewhat opaque due to regional variations in pronunciation and spelling over the centuries. The oldest records suggesting a similar surname appear in medieval manuscripts, where variations of Serak can be found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Serak appears in a 14th-century Polish registry, where a Mikolaj Serack was listed as a minor nobleman in the guild records of Krakow in 1367. The name also appears in similar forms in Bohemian records, with a Jan Serak mentioned as a landowner near Prague in the late 15th century. These historical references suggest that the name was prevalent among the lower and middle nobility or among prominent landowning families.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Jakub Serak, a merchant from Wroclaw who played a significant role in expanding trade routes between Poland and the German states. Born around 1520 and active until 1575, Jakub's influence helped bolster the economic relationships between these regions. His presence is documented in the commercial registries of Wroclaw, where his name appears frequently as a signatory on substantial trade agreements.

In the early 17th century, Zofia Serak was known in Polish history for her extensive works in herbal medicine. Born in 1598, Zofia Serak compiled one of the earliest comprehensive herbals in Poland, which was widely used and referenced until the end of the century. Her contributions to botany and medicine were recognized by the scholarly communities of Krakow and beyond, and some of her manuscripts are still preserved in Polish national archives.

Moving into the 18th century, Wojciech Serak was a noted military officer in the service of the Kingdom of Poland. Born in 1724, he served with distinction in numerous campaigns during his career, eventually achieving the rank of colonel before his death in 1791. His name and exploits can be found in military orders and dispatches of the time, confirming his role in the defense of Polish territories against various incursions.

In the 19th century, the surname Serak appeared in the academic sector with the emergence of Antoni Serak, an influential linguist and professor at the University of Warsaw. Born in 1820, Antoni Serak made significant contributions to the study of Slavic languages and dialects, publishing several important works on regional linguistic variations before his death in 1885. His academic legacy continues to be recognized in the field of Slavic studies.

Throughout history, the surname Serak has been associated with various professions and regions within Eastern Europe. These historical narratives of individuals bearing the surname highlight the diverse contributions of the Serak family to trade, medicine, military service, and academia over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Šerak

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Šerak.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Šerak was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Šerak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Šerak, please contact us.

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