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

Wojnar, 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 Wojnar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wojnar in America

Wojnar is the 28408th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wojnar surname appeared 840 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 Wojnar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wojnar 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 Wojnar

The surname Wojnar is of Eastern European origin, primarily found in Poland and Ukraine. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, with earliest records dating to the 14th and 15th centuries. Wojnar, derived from the Old Slavic word "vojnar," translates to "warrior" or "soldier." The name indicates a connection to persons of martial background or occupation.

The areas of origin for this surname are primarily within the regions that were part of the historic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including parts of modern-day Poland and Ukraine. The word "woj" in Old Polish denotes "war," which is central to the etymology of Wojnar. Historical records indicate that variations of the name, such as Woynar and Vojnar, were also prevalent in these regions.

One of the earliest historical references to the surname Wojnar appears in the 15th-century Prussian chronicles, which list a certain Mikolaj Wojnar as a landholder and soldier. Mikolaj Wojnar lived between 1450 and 1520, serving notably in local conflicts during that period. The proliferation of surnames related to martial connotations was common among the nobility and those serving in military capacities.

Another significant figure bearing the name Wojnar was Jan Wojnar, born in 1572 and active until 1640. Jan Wojnar was a notable landowner in the Masovian Voivodeship, contributing to the political and social life of the region. His political engagements were often documented in the sejm records, the legislative assemblies of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Wojnar appeared in various legal documents and parish records, indicating the family's involvement in agricultural and regional administration. In 1698, a Stanislaw Wojnar is recorded as having been a judge in the town of Lviv, which was then part of Poland but is now in Ukraine. His role in the judiciary is well-documented, showing a transition from martial to civic occupations among bearers of the name.

In the 19th century, the historian and ethnographer Adam Wojnar (1834-1899) emerged as a significant figure. He contributed extensively to the preservation of Polish folklore and peasant traditions, documenting customs and societal structures in rural Poland. His works remain important references in the study of Polish cultural history.

The surname Wojnar also appears in literary references, as in the case of Kazimierz Wojnar (1881-1941), a Polish poet and writer known for his patriotic themes. His work during the interwar period garnered him both national recognition and posthumous acclaim.

Overall, the surname Wojnar has deeply rooted historical and cultural significance, primarily in Poland and Ukraine. Its association with warriors and soldiers reflects a storied past tied to the martial and noble traditions of Eastern Europe. Notable individuals throughout history have borne the name, contributing to its legacy in various fields such as politics, judiciary, historiography, and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wojnar

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

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

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

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