Vacek last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Vacek

A surname of Czech origin, meaning "little one" or "small person".

Vacek, 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 Vacek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vacek in America

Vacek is the 19152nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vacek surname appeared 1,418 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 Vacek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vacek 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 19152 18982 0.89%
Count 1,418 1,328 6.55%
Proportion per 100k 0.48 0.49 -2.06%

The history of the last name Vacek

The surname Vacek originates from the Czech Republic, with its roots traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Czech word "vacek," which translates to "small bundle" or "small package." This name was likely given to someone involved in the packaging or transportation of goods, suggesting an occupational origin.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Vacek can be found in historical documents from the 14th century, particularly in regions such as Bohemia and Moravia. During this time, the Czech lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire, and surnames were becoming more prevalent as a means of distinguishing individuals.

One notable historical reference to the name Vacek is found in the Beroun Town Book, a record of legal proceedings and transactions from the town of Beroun, located near Prague. This book, dating back to the 15th century, contains mentions of individuals with the surname Vacek, indicating their presence in the region.

Among the earliest recorded bearers of the name Vacek is Jan Vacek, a prominent merchant who lived in Prague during the late 15th century. His business dealings and transactions were documented in various records, providing insights into the economic activities of the time.

Another notable figure with the surname Vacek was Tomas Vacek, a renowned scholar and theologian from the 16th century. Born in 1529 in the town of Litomerice, he studied at the University of Prague and later became a respected academic and author, contributing to the intellectual discourse of the Renaissance period.

In the 17th century, the name Vacek surfaced in connection with the town of Vackov (formerly known as Watzken), located in the present-day Plzeƈ Region of the Czech Republic. It is believed that this place name may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain regions.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Vacek was Karel Vacek, a prominent Czech painter and artist who lived from 1679 to 1741. His works, which included religious paintings and portraits, can be found in various churches and collections throughout the Czech Republic.

During the 19th century, the surname Vacek continued to be prevalent in the Czech lands, with several individuals making significant contributions. One such figure was Josef Vacek, a renowned botanist and naturalist born in 1828. He dedicated his life to the study of plants and published numerous works on the flora of the Czech Republic.

While the surname Vacek has its roots firmly planted in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the rich history and cultural heritage of the Czech lands, where it first emerged as a distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vacek

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

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 Vacek was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.97% 1,375
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.63% 9
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.63% 9
Hispanic Origin 1.20% 17

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 Vacek has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.97% 97.74% -0.79%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.63% 0.38% 49.50%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.63% 0.98% -43.48%
Hispanic 1.20% 0.68% 55.32%

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

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

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"Vacek last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/vacek-surname-popularity/.

"Vacek last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/vacek-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Vacek last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/vacek-surname-popularity/.

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