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

Traska, 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 Traska surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Traska in America

Traska is the 83834th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Traska surname appeared 224 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 Traska.

We can also compare 2010 data for Traska 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 Traska

The surname Traska has its origins in the Baltic region, specifically in Lithuania and parts of modern-day Poland. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the 15th or 16th century. The name is derived from the Lithuanian word "traskėti," which means "to crackle" or "to rustle," possibly referring to someone who lived near a rustling forest or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Traska can be found in the Metrica Regni Poloniae, which was a register of official documents from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, dating back to the late 15th century. In this register, there is a mention of a nobleman named Jan Traska, who owned land in the Vilnius region in the year 1487.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Traska family was well-established in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, with several members holding prominent positions in the nobility and clergy. One notable figure was Mikołaj Traska (1550-1612), a Catholic bishop and diplomat who served as the Bishop of Žemaitija (modern-day Samogitia) from 1601 until his death.

In the 18th century, the Traska surname began to spread beyond the borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, with some members of the family migrating to other parts of Europe. One such individual was Karol Traska (1725-1797), a Polish-born merchant who settled in Amsterdam and became a successful trader in the Dutch East Indies.

Another prominent figure with the Traska surname was Tadeusz Traska (1857-1918), a Polish-Lithuanian painter and art teacher who was born in Vilnius. He is best known for his landscapes and portraits depicting scenes from rural Lithuania.

In the 20th century, one of the most notable individuals with the Traska surname was Józef Traska (1912-1992), a Polish-born American priest and activist who played a significant role in the labor movement and civil rights struggles in the United States. He was deeply involved in the efforts to organize farm workers and fought for the rights of migrant laborers.

While the Traska surname has its roots in the Baltic region, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals who have migrated from their ancestral homeland. However, its origins can be traced back to the historical territories of Lithuania and Poland, where it first emerged and gained prominence among the nobility and clergy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Traska

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

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

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

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