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

Wolak, 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 Wolak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wolak in America

Wolak is the 17040th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wolak surname appeared 1,667 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wolak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wolak 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 Wolak

The surname Wolak is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to medieval Poland. The name is most commonly associated with the regions of Lesser Poland (Małopolska) and Silesia, where it emerged in the late Middle Ages. Derived from the Polish word Wołoch or Wałach, which refers to "a person from Wallachia" or "a Vlach," it is indicative of the migration and settlement patterns of the Vlach shepherds who moved into the Polish territories during this period.

The earliest recorded appearance of the surname Wolak can be traced back to the 15th century. Historical manuscripts and parish records from this era document the presence of individuals with this surname, evidencing the establishment of the name within these populations. For example, in 1488, a certain Jan Wolak was mentioned in the tax records of Kraków, a significant urban center in Lesser Poland.

Over time, the spelling of the name has remained relatively consistent, although variations such as Wolok or Wolack might appear in certain historical texts due to the phonetic transcription practices of the period. Records from the 16th and 17th centuries often list the surname in connection with agricultural activities, such as the 1575 registry from a village near Wrocław, where a farmer named Piotr Wolak is documented.

Famous bearers of the Wolak surname include Jan Wolak (1562-1630), a noted craftsman from Sandomierz, who was renowned for his work in wood carving. Another distinguished individual was Józef Wolak (1750-1820), a military officer who played a significant role during the Bar Confederation, an association of Polish nobles formed to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth against Russian influence.

The 18th century saw a diversification in the professions of people with the surname Wolak. An example is Kazimierz Wolak (1772-1835), an educator and writer from Lviv, whose contributions to Polish educational reforms were well documented. Moving into the 19th century, Helena Wolak (1836-1902) emerged as a prominent figure in the Polish independence movement. Her activities in supporting the January Uprising of 1863 were notable, reflecting the enduring relevance of the Wolak family in Polish socio-political life.

Finally, Antoni Wolak (1790-1848), a merchant from Warsaw, is recorded for his significant contributions to the commerce and trade sectors during the early industrial period of Poland. His involvement in the textile industry marked him as a pioneering entrepreneur of his time.

These individuals highlight the diverse roles and significant contributions of the Wolak family throughout Polish history, illustrating the surname's deep-seated heritage and influence within the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wolak

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

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

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

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