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

Shalek, 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 Shalek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shalek in America

Shalek is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shalek surname appeared 121 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shalek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shalek to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Shalek

The surname SHALEK has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, most likely originating in the area of modern-day Poland or Ukraine. The name itself is derived from the Slavic root "shal," which means "madness" or "foolishness," and likely referred to someone who was considered eccentric or unconventional.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SHALEK surname dates back to the 15th century, when a man named Jan SHALEK was mentioned in a local parish record in the village of Wieliczka, near Krakow, Poland. In the 16th century, the name appeared in various legal documents and land records in the regions of Galicia and Volhynia, which were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the time.

The SHALEK name has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 17th century, a Polish nobleman named Stanislaw SHALEK was a prominent military leader and took part in several campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. Another individual, Andrzej SHALEK (1720-1789), was a renowned painter and artist who gained recognition for his religious artwork and frescoes in churches throughout Poland.

During the 19th century, the SHALEK surname spread beyond the borders of Poland and Ukraine. In 1812, a man named Mikhail SHALEK was recorded as a merchant in the city of Odessa, which was then part of the Russian Empire. Later in the century, a Ukrainian writer and poet named Olga SHALEK (1856-1932) gained acclaim for her works that explored themes of Ukrainian identity and nationalism.

One of the most famous individuals with the SHALEK surname was Kazimierz SHALEK (1887-1962), a Polish politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Polish government-in-exile during World War II. He played a crucial role in maintaining international recognition of the Polish government and advocating for Polish interests on the global stage.

While the SHALEK surname may not be as widespread as some other Slavic names, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, ranging from artists and writers to military leaders and politicians. The name's origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe continue to be a source of cultural pride and identity for those who carry the SHALEK surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shalek

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

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 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Shalek 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Shalek has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Shalek was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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