2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Vocelka
A locational surname referring to someone from an area known for its abundance of birds.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Vocelka. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vocelka 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Vocelka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vocelka, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vocelka
The surname Vocelka is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic, likely in the late medieval period or the Renaissance era. It is derived from the Czech word "vocel," which means a small bird or a sparrow. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname referring to someone who worked with birds, such as a bird catcher or a bird breeder.
During the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or places of residence. The name Vocelka is a diminutive form of "vocel," indicating a smaller or endearing version of the word. This naming convention was common in Slavic languages, and it suggests a personal connection or familiarity with the occupation or characteristic.
While no specific historical references to the name Vocelka have been found in ancient manuscripts or records like the Domesday Book, it is possible that the name appeared in local parish records or town registers in the Czech lands during the 15th or 16th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Vocelka dates back to the late 16th century. In 1589, a man named Jan Vocelka was mentioned in a legal document from the town of Jihlava, located in the modern-day Czech Republic. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that time period.
Another notable figure with the surname Vocelka was Antonín Vocelka, a Czech writer and journalist who lived from 1838 to 1912. He was known for his contributions to Czech literature and his works exploring Czech history and culture.
Jaroslav Vocelka, born in 1938, is a prominent Czech historian and author. He has written extensively on the history of the Czech lands and has published numerous books and scholarly works.
In the field of music, Václav Vocelka (1919-1994) was a Czech composer and conductor known for his contributions to classical music and his work with various orchestras and ensembles.
Finally, Jan Vocelka (1943-2018) was a Czech politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic from 1998 to 2002.
It is worth noting that while the surname Vocelka is primarily associated with the Czech Republic, it may have spread to other regions over time due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and earliest recorded instances point to the Czech lands as the likely birthplace of this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vocelka
Among Census respondents with the surname Vocelka, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Vocelka 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 Vocelka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 103
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vocelka
Vocelka 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
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
-13 bearers (-9.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,055 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-16 bearers (-12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,342 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-9.5%) | Down 18,055 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.9%) | Down 15,342 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 Vocelka 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 | #135,593 | #150,935 | -11.3% |
| Count | 124 | 108 | -12.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vocelka bearers went from 124 to 108 (-12.9% change). The surname moved down 15,342 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #150,935.
FAQ
Vocelka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vocelka?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Vocelka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Vocelka?
Vocelka ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Vocelka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Vocelka.
Has Vocelka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vocelka went from 124 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Vocelka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vocelka, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Vocelka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vocelka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Vocelka (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 Vocelka mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from an area known for its abundance of birds. 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 Vocelka (0.04 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 common is the surname Vocelka?
You can see how many people have the surname Vocelka on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.