2000
#12,749
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,222
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.82
Rare Last name
Vesely
A Czech and Slovak surname meaning "cheerful," "merry," or "happy."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,381 Americans carry the last name Vesely. That puts it at #13,915 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 143,954 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vesely 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
2.4K
1 in 143,954
Census rank
#13,915
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,076 bearers of the surname Vesely in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13915th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vesely, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vesely
The surname Vesely has its origins in the Czech Republic, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Czech word "veselý," which means "cheerful" or "merry." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a joyful or lighthearted demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Vesely can be found in a document from the city of Brno, dated 1285. The document refers to a man named Vesely, who was a landowner in the region. This suggests that the name had already become established as a hereditary surname by that time.
During the Middle Ages, the Vesely name appeared in various records and manuscripts across Bohemia and Moravia, the historical regions that make up the modern-day Czech Republic. Several place names in these regions, such as Veselí nad Lužnicí and Veselí nad Moravou, are believed to be related to the surname, further reinforcing its Czech origins.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Vesely surname was Jan Vesely (1525-1592), a Czech Protestant reformer and writer. He played a significant role in the development of the Czech literary language and the translation of the Bible into Czech.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Jindřich Vesely (1836-1920), a Czech architect and urban planner. He was responsible for the design of several iconic buildings in Prague, including the National Theatre and the Rudolfinum concert hall.
In the 20th century, Václav Vesely (1890-1954) was a Czech painter and illustrator known for his portrayal of rural life and landscapes. His works are celebrated for their vibrant colors and expressive brushwork.
Jaroslav Vesely (1934-2020) was a renowned Czech basketball player and coach. He led the Czechoslovakian national team to multiple Olympic and World Championship medals and was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009.
The surname Vesely has also been carried by notable individuals outside of the Czech Republic, such as the American actress Eva Vesela (1963-), who is of Czech descent and has appeared in numerous films and television shows.
While the Vesely surname has its roots in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply tied to the Czech lands and their rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vesely
Among Census respondents with the surname Vesely, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Vesely 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 Vesely surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 1,900
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 80
- Two or more races2.9% · 61
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 13
- Black or African American0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vesely
Vesely 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
#13,536
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,241
+19 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 787 places
2020
#13,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,076
-165 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,749 | 2,222 | 0.82 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,536 | 2,241 | 0.76 | +19 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 787 places |
| 2020 | #13,915 | 2,076 | 0.69 | -165 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 379 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 Vesely 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 | #13,536 | #13,915 | -2.8% |
| Count | 2,241 | 2,076 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.69 | -8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vesely bearers went from 2,241 to 2,076 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 379 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,536 to #13,915.
FAQ
Vesely surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vesely?
Name Census estimates that about 2,381 living Americans carry the surname Vesely. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 143,954 residents.
How common is Vesely?
Vesely ranks #13,915 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,076 people with the surname Vesely. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,381), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Vesely.
Has Vesely become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vesely went from 2,241 recorded bearers to 2,076. That is a decrease of 165 (-7.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,536 to #13,915.
What does the Census say about the background of Vesely?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vesely, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Vesely in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (1,900 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vesely appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (3.9%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Vesely (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 Vesely mean?
A Czech and Slovak surname meaning "cheerful," "merry," or "happy." 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 Vesely (0.69 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 Americans have the surname Vesely?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.