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

Wołowiec, 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 Wołowiec surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wołowiec in America

Wołowiec is the 105600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wołowiec surname appeared 169 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 Wołowiec.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wołowiec 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 Wołowiec

The surname Wolowiec originates from Eastern Europe, primarily found in Poland. Dating back to the medieval period, it is closely associated with the regions of Lesser Poland and Silesia. Wolowiec is derived from the Polish word "wół," meaning "ox," combined with the diminutive suffix "-owiec." This suffix might have denoted a person connected to oxen, possibly as an oxherd or someone who worked with oxen for agricultural purposes.

The surname is recorded as early as the 15th century in various Polish historical documents. In the Silesian records from the late 1400s, individuals bearing the Wolowiec surname were noted in local registers and land holdings. One of the earliest mentions appears in the Wilczyce parish records of 1492, which referenced a Jakub Wolowiec, suggesting his connection to agricultural lands and livestock.

In the 16th century, the name continued to appear in Polish tax records and census documents, particularly in rural communities. For example, a notable figure was Stanisław Wolowiec, recorded in 1548 in Kraków, involved in trading oxen. This continuous presence in agricultural commerce underpins the occupational origins of the surname.

Another significant individual was Marcin Wolowiec, born around 1602, who served as a local magistrate in Żywiec. His recorded deliberations and decisions in the town's archives highlight the presence of the Wolowiec family in civic roles during the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Wolowic and Wołowiec, showing slight variations in spelling due to regional dialects and record-keeping practices. Jan Wolowiec, born in 1715, was a known blacksmith in Łódź, reflecting the diversification of family occupations over time.

By the 19th century, the surname Wolowiec had spread with Polish migration, particularly during the partition periods, when many moved to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable emigrant was Józef Wolowiec, who settled in Chicago in the 1890s, becoming an influential member of the Polish-American community, actively participating in cultural and social organizations.

Though not mentioned in groundbreaking historical records like the Domesday Book, the Wolowiec surname carries a rich cultural heritage rooted in Polish medieval and early modern history. The continuity of the name across centuries illustrates the evolution from agrarian origins to broader societal roles, reflecting both stability and adaptability of the family lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wołowiec

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

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

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

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