2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stefonek
A Polish surname derived from the name Stephen or Steven.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Stefonek. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stefonek 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Stefonek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stefonek, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stefonek
The surname Stefonek is believed to have originated in the region of present-day Slovakia and the Czech Republic during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Slavic root "stef," meaning "crown" or "garland," and the diminutive suffix "-onek," suggesting a connection to an ancestor who may have been involved in the making or wearing of crowns or garlands.
One of the earliest records of the name dates back to the 14th century, where a Stefonek family was mentioned in a document from the town of Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia. This region was known for its rich mining history, and it is possible that the Stefonek family may have been involved in the mining or metalworking trades.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various church records and local registries across the region, with variations in spelling such as Stefanek, Stefanonek, and Stephanonek. These variations likely reflect the influence of different regional dialects and the evolution of the language over time.
A notable bearer of the Stefonek name was Jan Stefonek (c. 1585-1648), a Moravian scholar and writer who authored several works on theology and philosophy. His contributions to the intellectual life of the region during the Renaissance period earned him recognition among his contemporaries.
Another significant figure was Michal Stefonek (1763-1832), a Slovak Catholic priest and educator who played a key role in promoting the use of the Slovak language in education and religious services. His efforts to preserve and promote Slovak culture and identity were influential in the national revival movements of the 19th century.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Stefonek surname began to appear more frequently in records and documents from various parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, reflecting the migration and settlement patterns of families bearing this name.
Anna Stefonek (1873-1948), a renowned Slovak writer and poet, gained recognition for her works that explored themes of love, nature, and Slovak national identity. Her literary contributions helped shape the cultural landscape of her time and inspired future generations of writers.
Jozef Stefonek (1901-1975), a Slovak painter and graphic artist, was celebrated for his vivid depictions of rural life and landscapes. His works are considered an important part of the Slovak artistic heritage and can be found in numerous museums and galleries across the region.
While the Stefonek surname has its roots in Central Europe, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities, carrying with it the rich cultural and historical significance of its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stefonek
Among Census respondents with the surname Stefonek, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Stefonek 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 Stefonek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stefonek
Stefonek 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,663 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,663 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 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 Stefonek 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 | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stefonek bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Stefonek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stefonek?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Stefonek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Stefonek?
Stefonek ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Stefonek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Stefonek.
Has Stefonek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stefonek went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Stefonek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stefonek, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Stefonek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stefonek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Stefonek (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 Stefonek mean?
A Polish surname derived from the name Stephen or Steven. 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 Stefonek (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 common is the surname Stefonek?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Stefonek at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.