2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wolowski
A Polish surname denoting someone from a village or region named Wolowo.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Wolowski. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wolowski 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Wolowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wolowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Black (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wolowski
The surname Wolowski originates from Poland and can be traced back to the Medieval period. Poland, known for its rich history and cultural integration, contributed unique regional surnames based on geographical, occupational, or character attributes. The name Wolowski most likely derives from the Polish word 'wół,' which means 'ox,' combined with a locational suffix. This suggests that the name Wolowski historically referenced someone who worked with oxen or possibly lived in an area associated with this animal.
The earliest records of the name can be found in medieval Polish manuscripts and documents that cataloged landowners and significant families. In these records, name variations such as Wolosky or Woloski appeared occasionally. The name was predominantly associated with regions that were historically agricultural, where landowners or workers might have been prominent in the cattle industry.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is found in the 15th century. A Jakub Wolowski is mentioned in records from 1492, a time of significant social and economic change in Poland. These earlier forms of the name appear in land transaction documents and tax records, highlighting the Wolowski family's involvement in local commerce and agriculture.
In the 16th century, the name Wolowski appears in the context of Polish nobility. Stanisław Wolowski, a notable figure born in 1548 and believed to have been an influential landowner, is chronicled in historical texts. His contributions to the region's administrative and economic activities are documented in municipal records.
Moving forward to the 18th century, Jan Wolowski, born in 1711, emerged as a significant figure during the times of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His involvement in local politics and his role in rural development showcased the prominence of the Wolowski name beyond mere landownership to active participation in shaping regional socio-political landscapes.
In the 19th century, prominent figures with the surname Wolowski included Gustaw Wolowski, born in 1807, a recognized military officer involved in the November Uprising of 1830 against Russian rule. His name is etched in historical records commemorating the struggle for Polish independence.
Additionally, Louis Wolowski, a significant Polish economist and politician, was born in 1810 and later settled in France. He played a vital role in the development of political economy, contributing notably to the founding of the Crédit Foncier de France. His academic and political works are well-documented in European economic history.
The Wolowski surname encapsulates a vivid history, tied to land, agriculture, nobility, and even economic reform. Each historical figure bearing the name contributed uniquely to the cultural and socio-economic tapestry of their respective eras.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wolowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Wolowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Black (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Wolowski 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 Wolowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 6
- Black or African American2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wolowski
Wolowski 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-13 bearers (-11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,503 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,162 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.3%) | Down 23,503 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 3,162 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 Wolowski 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 | #158,432 | #155,270 | 2.0% |
| Count | 102 | 101 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wolowski bearers went from 102 to 101 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,162 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #155,270.
FAQ
Wolowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wolowski?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Wolowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Wolowski?
Wolowski ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Wolowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Wolowski.
Has Wolowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wolowski went from 102 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Wolowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wolowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Black (2.0%). 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 Wolowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wolowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (5.9%), Black (2.0%). 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 Wolowski (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 Wolowski mean?
A Polish surname denoting someone from a village or region named Wolowo. 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 Wolowski (0.03 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 Wolowski?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Wolowski on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.