2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stemkowski
A Polish surname possibly derived from the word "stem" meaning a ship's stem or prow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Stemkowski. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stemkowski 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Stemkowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stemkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stemkowski
The surname STEMKOWSKI originates from Poland. It is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Polish word "stem," meaning "log" or "beam," possibly indicating an ancestral connection to woodworkers, carpenters, or those residing near forested areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name STEMKOWSKI can be found in the records of the town of Krakow, dated to the late 15th century. The name appeared as "Stemkowsky," suggesting variations in spelling during that era. It is also believed that the name may have originated from a specific location or village, though the exact place of origin remains uncertain.
In the 16th century, the STEMKOWSKI name appeared in the Metrica Regni Poloniae, a collection of historical documents and records from the Kingdom of Poland. This indicates the presence of individuals bearing this surname during that time period.
The earliest known individual with the surname STEMKOWSKI was Jan STEMKOWSKI, born in 1621 in the village of Stara Wieś, near Krakow. He was a woodcarver by trade and is mentioned in local church records for his craftsmanship.
Another notable figure with this surname was Tomasz STEMKOWSKI, born in 1743 in the town of Bydgoszcz. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his name can be found in various commercial records from the late 18th century.
In the 19th century, the STEMKOWSKI name gained prominence with the birth of Franciszek STEMKOWSKI (1812-1890), a renowned Polish playwright and poet. His works, including the play "Krakowiacy i Górale" (Cracovians and Highlanders), celebrated Polish culture and traditions.
During the same period, Stanisław STEMKOWSKI (1836-1912) made a name for himself as a skilled architect. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings in Warsaw, including the iconic Holy Cross Church.
The 20th century saw the rise of Józef STEMKOWSKI (1901-1978), a respected linguist and professor at the University of Warsaw. His contributions to the study of Slavic languages and their historical development were widely recognized.
Throughout its history, the surname STEMKOWSKI has been associated with various professions, from woodworkers and merchants to artists and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stemkowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Stemkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Stemkowski 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 Stemkowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.0% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 6
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stemkowski
Stemkowski 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+5 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,434 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-4 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,682 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 4,434 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 3,682 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 Stemkowski 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 | #147,253 | #150,935 | -2.5% |
| Count | 112 | 108 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stemkowski bearers went from 112 to 108 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 3,682 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #150,935.
FAQ
Stemkowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stemkowski?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Stemkowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Stemkowski?
Stemkowski ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Stemkowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Stemkowski.
Has Stemkowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stemkowski went from 112 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Stemkowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stemkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Stemkowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.0% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stemkowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.0%), Hispanic (5.6%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Stemkowski (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 Stemkowski mean?
A Polish surname possibly derived from the word "stem" meaning a ship's stem or prow. 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 Stemkowski (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 people are called Stemkowski?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Stemkowski on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.