Spacek last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Spacek

A locational surname derived from the Czech word "spáč" meaning sleeper or inhabitant of a small village.

Spacek, 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 Spacek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spacek in America

Spacek is the 32339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spacek surname appeared 712 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 Spacek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spacek 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 32339 30161 6.97%
Count 712 733 -2.91%
Proportion per 100k 0.24 0.27 -11.76%

The history of the last name Spacek

The surname Spacek originates from the Czech Republic, with records indicating its presence as early as the 12th century. It is derived from the Czech word "spacek," meaning a hermit or recluse. The name likely referred to someone who lived a solitary or secluded life, possibly in a remote area or as a religious ascetic.

The earliest recorded instance of the Spacek surname can be found in a document from the Vyšehrad Codex, a medieval manuscript dating back to 1088. This codex contains various legal records and documents from that era, suggesting that the name was already in use among the Czech population.

During the Middle Ages, the Spacek name appeared in various regional records and chronicles from the Kingdom of Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. It was particularly prevalent in the areas around Prague and the surrounding regions, where many families bearing this surname resided.

One notable individual with the Spacek surname was Jan Spacek (1592-1644), a Bohemian Protestant pastor and theologian. He was a prominent figure during the Hussite religious movement and was known for his writings and sermons advocating for religious reform.

Another historical figure with this surname was Vaclav Spacek (1748-1813), a Czech painter and engraver who was renowned for his religious and landscape works. His paintings can be found in various churches and galleries throughout the Czech Republic.

In the 19th century, the Spacek name gained recognition with the birth of Karel Spacek (1845-1912), a Czech architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and landmarks in Prague, including the Rudolfinum Concert Hall and the National Museum.

Moving into the 20th century, Jindrich Spacek (1899-1972) was a Czech filmmaker and screenwriter who made significant contributions to the development of Czechoslovak cinema during the early years of the country's independence.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Jiri Spacek (1927-2012), a Czech actor and theater director. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Czech theater scene, having directed numerous productions and performed in various films throughout his career.

While the Spacek surname has its roots firmly planted in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and global mobility. However, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in the region that is now the Czech Republic, where it was likely initially used to denote someone who lived a solitary or reclusive lifestyle.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spacek

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

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 Spacek was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.98% 662
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.40% 10
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.40% 10
Hispanic Origin 3.23% 23

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 Spacek has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.98% 95.77% -2.96%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.40% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.40% 2.05% -37.68%
Hispanic 3.23% 1.50% 73.15%

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

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

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"Spacek last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 19, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/spacek-surname-popularity/.

"Spacek last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/spacek-surname-popularity/. Accessed 19 June, 2025

Spacek last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/spacek-surname-popularity/.

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