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

Turek, 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 Turek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Turek in America

Turek is the 7803rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Turek surname appeared 4,241 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 Turek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Turek 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 Turek

The surname Turek originated in Poland, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Polish word "turek," which means "a person from Turkey" or "a Turk." The name likely arose as a nickname or an occupational name given to someone who had traveled to or traded with Turkey, or perhaps had physical features resembling those of Turkish descent.

In the 14th century, the name Turek appeared in historical records, such as the Akta grodzkie i ziemskie, a collection of court documents from various Polish regions. These documents mention individuals with the surname Turek, indicating its presence during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Turek is Jan Turek, a Polish nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 15th century. He fought alongside King Jan Olbracht in the Polish-Ottoman War and was celebrated for his bravery and leadership.

Another notable figure with the surname Turek was Piotr Turek, a Polish writer and poet born in 1566. He is best known for his work "Księga o gospodarstwie," a treatise on agriculture and rural life in Renaissance Poland.

In the 18th century, the name Turek was associated with the town of Turek, located in the Wielkopolska region of Poland. This town likely derived its name from the surname, indicating the presence of families with this name in the area.

Marianna Turek, born in 1813, was a Polish painter and one of the first female artists to gain recognition in her country. Her works, often depicting scenes of everyday life and landscapes, are held in several Polish museums.

Józef Turek, born in 1888, was a Polish musician and composer known for his contributions to the development of Polish folk music. He recorded and preserved numerous traditional songs and dances from various regions of Poland.

Throughout history, the surname Turek has been found across Poland, with various spellings and variations such as Turekz, Tureck, and Turecky. It has also been adopted by families in other Slavic countries, reflecting the cultural and linguistic connections within the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Turek

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

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

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

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