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

Wanek, 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 Wanek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wanek in America

Wanek is the 26516th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wanek surname appeared 920 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 Wanek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wanek 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 Wanek

The surname WANEK is of Polish origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the western regions of Poland, particularly around the areas of Silesia and Greater Poland.

The name WANEK is derived from the Polish word "waniak," which means "a basket maker" or "someone who weaves baskets." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in the craft of basket-weaving or related trades.

Historical records indicate that the name WANEK appeared in various Polish manuscripts and documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable mention is found in the Metryka Koronna, a collection of records from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where a certain Jan Wanek is listed as a resident of the town of Bydgoszcz in 1612.

The earliest recorded instance of the name WANEK dates back to 1587, when a Marcin Wanek was documented in the parish records of Zielona Góra, a town in western Poland. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by that time.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname WANEK. One such person was Józef Wanek (1889-1943), a Polish priest and activist who was executed by the Nazis during World War II for his resistance activities. Another was Wacław Wanek (1905-1974), a Polish journalist and writer who was known for his works on Polish history and culture.

Other prominent individuals with the name WANEK include:

1. Karol Wanek (1871-1949), a Polish architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Cracow.
2. Franciszek Wanek (1900-1985), a Polish artist and painter known for his landscape and portrait works.
3. Jan Wanek (1920-2008), a Polish writer and poet who was part of the Polish Underground during World War II.
4. Andrzej Wanek (born 1954), a Polish footballer who played as a midfielder for several clubs in Poland and Germany.
5. Tomasz Wanek (born 1975), a Polish volleyball player who represented Poland in numerous international competitions.

These examples demonstrate the long-standing presence of the surname WANEK in Polish society, spanning various professions and fields of endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wanek

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

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

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

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