2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zajchowski
A Polish locational surname deriving from someone who lived near a rabbit burrow or warren.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Zajchowski. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zajchowski 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Zajchowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zajchowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zajchowski
The surname Zajchowski has its roots in Eastern Europe, predominantly within what is now Poland. The most plausible origin of the surname can be traced back to the regions around Masovia and Greater Poland during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th to 15th centuries. Linguistically, the surname appears to be derived from the old Polish word "zając" meaning "hare," combined with the possessive suffix "-owski," indicating a place association or belonging. This nomenclature suggests that the original bearers of the surname were likely tied to a geographical area named after hares or were notable for some association with these animals.
One of the earliest historical references to the surname Zajchowski comes from land and tax records in the Kingdom of Poland during the 16th century. A significant mention is found in the 1579 register of noble estates, which lists a Jakub Zajchowski as a landowner in the Masovian Voivodeship. This reference indicates that the Zajchowski family may have held a certain degree of status and land during this period, possibly suggesting a minor noble or gentry standing.
In the 17th century, documents from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth contain references to Piotr Zajchowski, who was known to have served as a local judge in the town of Poznań. Legal manuscripts from 1642 detail his involvement in various civic matters, highlighting the family's continued prominence in regional affairs.
In the early 18th century, a Wojciech Zajchowski is noted in the military rolls of the confederated army against Swedish incursions during the Great Northern War. His involvement in the defense of the Commonwealth adds a martial aspect to the family history, showing their participation in significant historical events.
Records from the 19th century show that Zajchowski was a prevalent surname among the intelligentsia and clergy. One notable person from this period is Jan Zajchowski, a priest and writer born in 1820 and deceased in 1875. He was an influential figure in the local community of Kraków and authored several theological works that were well-received in ecclesiastical circles.
Another prominent individual is Maria Zajchowska, a recognized poet born in 1885 and active in the early 20th century. Her literary contributions were significant during the interwar period, and she was celebrated for her contributions to Polish literature and culture.
The Zajchowski name has thus evolved over centuries, rooted deeply in the historical and cultural fabric of Poland, influencing various aspects from landownership and military defense to literature and clergy. The etymological consistency of the name underscores its longstanding association with specific regions and roles within Polish society, encapsulating a rich and diverse heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zajchowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Zajchowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zajchowski 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 Zajchowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zajchowski
Zajchowski appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,463 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 10,463 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 Zajchowski 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 | #133,048 | #143,511 | -7.9% |
| Count | 127 | 118 | -7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zajchowski bearers went from 127 to 118 (-7.1% change). The surname moved down 10,463 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #143,511.
FAQ
Zajchowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zajchowski?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Zajchowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Zajchowski?
Zajchowski ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Zajchowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Zajchowski.
Has Zajchowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zajchowski went from 127 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Zajchowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zajchowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Zajchowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zajchowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Hispanic (1.7%), Black (0.8%). 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 Zajchowski (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 Zajchowski mean?
A Polish locational surname deriving from someone who lived near a rabbit burrow or warren. 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 Zajchowski (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 common is the surname Zajchowski?
Find out how common the surname Zajchowski is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.