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

Smialek, 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 Smialek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smialek in America

Smialek is the 51281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smialek surname appeared 406 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 Smialek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smialek 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 Smialek

The surname Smialek is of Polish origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "śmiały," meaning "bold" or "courageous." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone who exhibited these qualities.

In its earliest forms, the name appeared as "Smialek" or "Smialec" in various Polish records and documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, "Smialek," which is more consistent with modern Polish orthography.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of the village of Bodzentyn, located in the Świętokrzyskie region of Poland, dating back to the late 16th century. These records mention a certain Marcin Smialek, who lived in the village during that time period.

Another notable early reference to the name is found in the records of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where a student named Jan Smialek was enrolled in the late 17th century.

As the name spread across Poland, various local variations and spellings emerged, such as "Śmiałek," "Smiałek," and "Śmiałek." Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or local pronunciation patterns.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Smialek have achieved notable recognition, such as:

1. Józef Smialek (1820-1898), a Polish painter and artist known for his landscape and genre paintings.
2. Mieczysław Smialek (1868-1943), a Polish chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry.
3. Jadwiga Smialek (1892-1976), a Polish artist and sculptor who specialized in portraiture and religious art.
4. Stanisław Smialek (1914-1986), a Polish writer and poet, known for his works depicting life in rural Poland during the mid-20th century.
5. Tadeusz Smialek (1938-2010), a Polish football player and coach who played for several Polish clubs and managed the national team.

While the surname Smialek is not among the most common Polish surnames, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, academics, writers, and athletes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smialek

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

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

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

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