2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wisnasky
Of Slovenian origin, likely a locational surname for someone from the village of Višnja.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Wisnasky. 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 Wisnasky 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 Wisnasky 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 Wisnasky, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wisnasky
The surname Wisnasky is believed to have its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland or the surrounding regions. It is likely derived from the Polish surname Wisniewski, which itself originates from the word wisnia, meaning cherry. The suffix -ski is a common Polish suffix indicating a connection to a place or attribute, in this case, likely relating to an area known for its cherry orchards.
In medieval Poland, surnames were often formed based on geographic locations, occupations, or prominent family traits. The name Wisniewski would have denoted someone from a place associated with cherry trees or possibly a cherry farmer. Over time, as families moved and integrated with other cultures, the name evolved into various forms, including Wisnasky.
Historical references to the name can be traced back to legal documents and land records from the 15th and 16th centuries in Poland. Similar spellings and variations, such as Wisniewski or Wisniewsky, are found in numerous Polish records. One of the oldest mentions of the name can be found in the legal documents of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, though specific records of the exact spelling "Wisnasky" are more elusive.
The earliest recorded example of the name Wisnasky appears in immigration records from the late 19th century, as many Eastern Europeans emigrated to places like the United States in search of better opportunities. Among these early immigrants was Jan Wisnasky, who arrived in New York in 1881. Jan was known to have settled in Pennsylvania, an area with a significant Polish community.
In the 20th century, Anna Wisnasky, born in 1905, became a notable figure in the American Midwest. She was an active member of the Polish-American cultural organizations and made significant contributions to the preservation of Polish heritage in Chicago. Her efforts were recognized in several local historical accounts.
Another prominent individual was Dr. Michael Wisnasky, born in 1943, who became a respected physician and community leader in New Jersey. He authored several medical papers and was involved in numerous charitable activities related to healthcare.
Paul Wisnasky, born in 1922, served with distinction in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was honored for his bravery and later became a successful businessman in the automotive industry. His life story was chronicled in a biography published in the 1980s.
Marie Wisnasky, born in 1918, was a well-known artist whose work focused on landscapes and rural scenes, reflecting her Eastern European heritage. Her paintings are held in several prominent galleries and private collections in the United States and Europe.
The Wisnasky surname, while less common than its root form Wisniewski, maintains a distinct connection to its Polish heritage. Over the centuries, it has been borne by individuals who contributed to their communities in various significant ways, thereby preserving the legacy of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wisnasky
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisnasky, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wisnasky 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 Wisnasky surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 101
- Two or more races5.6% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wisnasky
Wisnasky 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,991 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-18 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,072 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 8,991 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 17,072 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 Wisnasky 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 | #133,863 | #150,935 | -12.8% |
| Count | 126 | 108 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wisnasky bearers went from 126 to 108 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 17,072 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #150,935.
FAQ
Wisnasky surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wisnasky?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Wisnasky. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Wisnasky?
Wisnasky 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 Wisnasky. 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 Wisnasky.
Has Wisnasky become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wisnasky went from 126 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 18 (-14.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Wisnasky?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisnasky, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Wisnasky in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wisnasky appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Two or More Races (5.6%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Wisnasky (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 Wisnasky mean?
Of Slovenian origin, likely a locational surname for someone from the village of Višnja. 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 Wisnasky (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 Wisnasky?
See how many Americans have the surname Wisnasky on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.