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

Wachala, 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 Wachala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wachala in America

Wachala is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wachala surname appeared 135 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 Wachala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wachala 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 Wachala

The surname Wachala has its origins in Poland, emerging during the late Middle Ages around the 14th or 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "wachać," which means "to sway" or "to oscillate." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone with a distinctive gait or movement.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Wachał" or "Wachala," reflecting the linguistic evolution of the Polish language over time. While there are no definitive records of the name appearing in historical manuscripts or documents from that era, it is likely that it was borne by individuals from rural or agricultural communities in central and southern Poland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Wachala surname can be found in the archives of the city of Krakow, where a man named Jan Wachala was listed as a resident in the late 16th century. Another early reference comes from the town of Tarnów, where a family by the name of Wachala owned a modest farm in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the Wachala surname was Maciej Wachala (1722-1798), a Polish priest and scholar who served as a professor of theology at the University of Krakow. He was known for his contributions to the study of canon law and his writings on the history of the Catholic Church in Poland.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the Wachala surname was Józef Wachala (1811-1877), a Polish painter and artist who gained recognition for his landscape and genre paintings. His works were exhibited in various galleries and exhibitions across Europe, and several of his paintings are still held in the collections of major Polish museums.

Another notable figure from this era was Franciszek Wachala (1835-1901), a Polish military officer and diplomat who served as the Polish ambassador to several European countries, including France and Austria-Hungary. He played a crucial role in representing Polish interests during a turbulent period of Polish history.

In the 20th century, a prominent individual bearing the Wachala surname was Tadeusz Wachala (1908-1983), a Polish writer and journalist who authored several novels and short stories. His works often explored themes of rural life and the struggles of the Polish working class, reflecting his own humble beginnings and experiences.

While the Wachala surname remains relatively uncommon outside of Poland, it has continued to be passed down through generations, carrying with it a rich history and cultural significance rooted in the traditions and heritage of the Polish people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wachala

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!