2000
#104,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 158
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Sozanski
A Polish surname derived from the place name Soze, indicating its geographical origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Sozanski. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sozanski surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Sozanski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sozanski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sozanski
The surname Sozanski originated in Poland, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "soza," which means "willow tree." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near willow trees or had some connection to these trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sozanski name can be found in the Polish town of Krakow, where a family with this surname lived in the late 1500s. Historical records from that time period mention a Jan Sozanski, a merchant who traded in various goods, including willow baskets and furniture made from willow wood.
In the 17th century, the name Sozanski appears in several church records and land ownership documents in the regions of Lesser Poland and Silesia. This indicates that families with this surname had established themselves in these areas, likely as landowners or farmers.
During the 18th century, a notable figure named Marcin Sozanski (1720-1789) gained prominence as a skilled architect and builder. He was responsible for designing and constructing several churches and public buildings in the city of Poznan, many of which still stand today as examples of his craftsmanship.
Another individual of note was Józef Sozanski (1805-1878), a Polish writer and poet who published several collections of literary works. His poems often celebrated the beauty of nature and the Polish countryside, reflecting his appreciation for the landscapes he grew up in.
In the 19th century, the Sozanski name continued to appear in various records, including those of military service. During this time, a Polish soldier named Tomasz Sozanski (1832-1902) fought in the January Uprising against the Russian Empire, earning recognition for his bravery and dedication to the cause of Polish independence.
As the Sozanski family spread throughout Poland and beyond, the spelling of the name sometimes varied slightly, with variations such as Sozański, Sożański, or Sožanski appearing in different regions. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained consistent, tracing back to its connection with willow trees.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sozanski
Among Census respondents with the surname Sozanski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sozanski bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sozanski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.0% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sozanski
Sozanski appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#114,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
-5 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 9,605 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-36 bearers (-23.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 29,846 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #104,819 | 158 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #114,424 | 153 | 0.05 | -5 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 9,605 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -36 bearers (-23.5%) | Down 29,846 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sozanski surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #114,424 | #144,270 | -26.1% |
| Count | 153 | 117 | -23.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sozanski bearers went from 153 to 117 (-23.5% change). The surname moved down 29,846 positions in the national ranking, going from #114,424 to #144,270.
FAQ
Sozanski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sozanski?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Sozanski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Sozanski?
Sozanski ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Sozanski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sozanski.
Has Sozanski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sozanski went from 153 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 36 (-23.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #114,424 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Sozanski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sozanski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sozanski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.0% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sozanski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.0%), Hispanic (4.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sozanski (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sozanski mean?
A Polish surname derived from the place name Soze, indicating its geographical origin. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sozanski (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Sozanski?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.