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

Sokol, 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 Sokol surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sokol in America

Sokol is the 6158th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sokol surname appeared 5,559 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sokol.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sokol 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 Sokol

The surname Sokol has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Russia. It is derived from the Slavic word "sokol," which means "falcon" or "hawk." The name likely emerged during the medieval period, as it was common for people to take their surnames from nature, animals, or occupations.

In Poland, the name Sokol can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various historical records and documents. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Teutonic Knights' chronicles from the 1280s, where a knight named Sokol is mentioned.

In Russia, the name Sokol has a long history as well. It is believed to have originated among the nobility and landed gentry, who often used bird names as their surnames. The earliest known reference to the name Sokol in Russia dates back to the 14th century, when it was recorded in the Veliky Novgorod chronicles.

Over the centuries, the name Sokol has been associated with several notable figures in various fields. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Mikhail Sokol, a Russian military leader and statesman who lived in the 17th century (1601-1665). He played a significant role in the Smolensk War against Poland and served as a voivode (governor) of several Russian territories.

Another prominent individual with the surname Sokol was Jan Sokol (1936-2021), a Czech philosopher and politician who served as the first president of the post-communist Czech Republic from 1989 to 1992.

In the field of sports, Petr Sokol (born 1965) is a Czech former ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams, including the Detroit Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils.

The name Sokol has also been associated with various place names throughout Eastern Europe. For example, there are villages and towns named Sokol in Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, which may have derived their names from the surname or vice versa.

Throughout its history, the surname Sokol has undergone various spelling variations, such as Sokół in Polish and Соколов (Sokolov) in Russian. These variations reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the regions where the name has been prevalent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sokol

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

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

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

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