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

Straka, 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 Straka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Straka in America

Straka is the 10628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Straka surname appeared 3,013 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Straka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Straka 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 Straka

The surname Straka is of Slavic origin, specifically from the Czech Republic and surrounding regions. It likely originated in the 14th or 15th century, derived from the Czech word "straka" meaning a magpie bird. This was likely a nickname given to someone with black and white hair or clothing resembling the bird's plumage.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Straka can be found in the Moravian Land Tables, a record of landowners and nobility in the region of Moravia, dating back to the late 15th century. These records mention several individuals with the surname Straka, indicating that the name was well-established by that time.

In the 16th century, the surname Straka appeared in various church records and town chronicles across what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Notable individuals from this era include Jan Straka (1516-1588), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Kutná Hora, and Matěj Straka (1545-1612), a respected scholar and rector of the University of Prague.

Over the centuries, variations in spelling emerged, such as Stracka, Straczka, and Strachka, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. The surname was also found in areas of modern-day Poland and Germany, likely due to migration and intermarriage.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Straka in a prominent position was Karel Straka (1678-1743), a Czech nobleman and military commander who served in the Imperial Austrian Army during the War of the Spanish Succession. Another notable figure was Jan Straka (1804-1888), a Czech physician and author who wrote extensively on medicine and public health.

In the 19th century, the surname Straka was associated with several artists and intellectuals. Václav Straka (1818-1892) was a renowned Czech painter known for his landscapes and historical scenes. Josef Straka (1836-1912) was a celebrated composer and music teacher, while Antonín Straka (1857-1924) was a respected linguist and philologist who made significant contributions to the study of Slavic languages.

As the 20th century dawned, the Straka surname continued to be represented in various fields. Jaroslav Straka (1891-1970) was a prominent Czech architect who designed several notable buildings in Prague, while Vladimír Straka (1905-1980) was a respected mathematician and university professor.

Throughout its history, the surname Straka has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, from nobility and military leaders to artists, scholars, and professionals, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Czech and Slavic regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Straka

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!