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

Smutek, 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 Smutek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smutek in America

Smutek is the 85049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smutek surname appeared 220 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 Smutek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smutek 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 Smutek

The surname Smutek is of Polish origin, originating in the late medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. It is derived from the Polish word "smutek," which translates to "sadness" or "sorrow." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was known for having a melancholic or sorrowful disposition.

The earliest recorded instances of the Smutek surname can be found in various historical records from the Polish regions, such as tax rolls, census records, and parish registers. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jan Smutek, a peasant from the village of Krakow, who was mentioned in a land registry document dated 1487.

In the 16th century, the Smutek name appeared in the records of the town of Poznan, where a merchant named Andrzej Smutek was listed as a member of the local guild of traders in 1534. During this time, the spelling of the name may have varied slightly, with variations like "Smuteck" or "Smuthek" appearing in some documents.

As the name spread throughout Poland, it became associated with various locations and place names. For instance, there was a village called Smutki in the Lublin region, which may have influenced the surname's development in that area.

One notable bearer of the Smutek name was Jakub Smutek (1590-1652), a Catholic priest and scholar who served as the rector of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow during the mid-17th century. Another prominent figure was Katarzyna Smutek (1718-1793), a landowner and philanthropist known for her charitable works in the Silesian region.

In the 19th century, the Smutek surname gained further recognition with the birth of Jan Smutek (1842-1915), a Polish poet and writer who was celebrated for his contributions to the Romantic literary movement. His work often explored themes of melancholy and introspection, perhaps reflecting the emotional undertones associated with the surname.

Another notable individual with the Smutek name was Marcin Smutek (1875-1943), a Polish soldier and military commander who played a significant role in the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921. He was awarded the Virtuti Militari, Poland's highest military decoration, for his bravery and leadership during the conflict.

While the Smutek surname may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a well-established Polish surname with a rich history and cultural significance, carried by individuals who have made notable contributions across various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smutek

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

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

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

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