2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zagrodnik
A Polish habitational surname for someone living on a farm or small holding.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Zagrodnik. 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 Zagrodnik 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 Zagrodnik 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 Zagrodnik, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zagrodnik
The surname Zagrodnik has its roots in Poland, a country with a rich tapestry of history and tradition. The name is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, reflecting the agrarian lifestyle that was predominant in Poland during this period. The term "zagrodnik" in Polish referred to a smallholder or peasant who owned a small piece of land or a small homestead, typically engaged in agriculture or subsistence farming.
In the medieval Polish language, the word "zagroda" means "homestead" or "enclosure," and the suffix "-nik" is a common diminutive or occupational suffix. Therefore, Zagrodnik essentially means "one who is associated with a small homestead." The name suggests a social class that lived modestly but with a degree of self-sufficiency, reflecting the agrarian economy of Poland at that time.
Historical references to the surname can be traced back to various records and manuscripts from the region. In the 16th century, a man named Jan Zagrodnik was recorded in a land transaction document in the Lesser Poland region, notably in the year 1574. This suggests that the surname not only described a way of life but was also recognized in official records, highlighting the importance of smallholders in the Polish economy and society.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname can be found in parish records from the 17th century. In 1623, a record from a parish in Kraków mentions a Piotr Zagrodnik, a smallholder who contributed to the building of a local chapel. This reference underlines the presence and influence of individuals with this surname in local communities.
In the 18th century, another notable bearer of the surname was Stanisław Zagrodnik, born in 1721, who was known for his role in local administration in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region. His contributions to local governance were significant during a period of political upheaval and partitions of Poland.
Moving into the 19th century, one finds records of a Józef Zagrodnik, born in 1856, who was a prominent figure in the peasant movement advocating for the rights of smallholders and better living conditions for rural communities. His activism was instrumental in the social reforms that sought to improve the lives of farmers and smallholders.
Lastly, in the early 20th century, a Władysław Zagrodnik, born in 1892, emerged as an important figure. He was a writer and chronicler of rural life, whose works provided valuable insights into the daily lives and struggles of smallholders in Poland. His contributions to literature helped preserve the cultural heritage and social history of the agrarian communities.
The surname Zagrodnik thus encapsulates a rich history of Poland's agrarian society, reflecting the lives of smallholders who played a crucial role in the fabric of rural communities. This name has appeared in various historical records, highlighting its enduring legacy and the important role individuals with this surname have played throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zagrodnik
Among Census respondents with the surname Zagrodnik, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zagrodnik 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 Zagrodnik surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 100
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zagrodnik
Zagrodnik 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+13 bearers (+12.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,103 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-7 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,794 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.7%) | Up 4,103 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 6,794 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 Zagrodnik 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 | #144,141 | #150,935 | -4.7% |
| Count | 115 | 108 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zagrodnik bearers went from 115 to 108 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 6,794 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,935.
FAQ
Zagrodnik surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zagrodnik?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Zagrodnik. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Zagrodnik?
Zagrodnik 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 Zagrodnik. 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 Zagrodnik.
Has Zagrodnik become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zagrodnik went from 115 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Zagrodnik?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zagrodnik, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Black (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 Zagrodnik in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zagrodnik appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Black (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 Zagrodnik (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 Zagrodnik mean?
A Polish habitational surname for someone living on a farm or small holding. 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 Zagrodnik (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 many people are called Zagrodnik?
See how many Americans have the surname Zagrodnik on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.