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

Vlach, 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 Vlach surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vlach in America

Vlach is the 30825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vlach surname appeared 755 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 Vlach.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vlach 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 Vlach

The surname Vlach originated in the medieval Slavic region of Europe, primarily in the areas that are now modern-day Czech Republic, Slovakia, and southern Poland. It is derived from the Slavic word "Vlach," which referred to an ethnic Romanian or someone of Romanian descent.

The name Vlach can be traced back to the 11th century, when it first appeared in historical records and manuscripts from the region. One of the earliest documented references to the name is in a Czech chronicle from the year 1092, which mentions a nobleman named Vlach who served as a military commander.

In the 13th century, the name Vlach was found in the Codex Diplomaticus et Epistolaris Regni Bohemiae, a collection of medieval manuscripts and documents from the Kingdom of Bohemia. This suggests that the name was well-established among the nobility and upper classes of the region at that time.

One notable figure with the surname Vlach was Jan Vlach, a Czech Catholic priest and theologian who lived in the 14th century. He was a professor at the University of Prague and played a significant role in the intellectual and religious life of the city.

Another historical figure with the name Vlach was Mikuláš Vlach, a Bohemian merchant and explorer who lived in the 15th century. He is known for his travels to the Middle East and his detailed accounts of the region, which provided valuable insights into the culture and trade routes of the time.

In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Wlach," appeared in records from the German-speaking regions of Central Europe. This spelling was likely influenced by the German pronunciation of the name and was used by Vlach families who had migrated to these areas.

During the 17th century, the name Vlach was found in various records from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which encompassed parts of modern-day Czech Republic, Slovakia, and southern Poland. One notable individual from this period was Jan Vlach, a Czech composer and organist who was active in Prague and Vienna.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Vlach had spread more widely across Central and Eastern Europe, with families bearing the name found in countries such as Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine. One significant figure from this time was Juraj Vlach, a Slovak painter and artist who lived in the late 18th century and is known for his religious artwork and frescoes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vlach

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

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

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

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