2000
#42,056
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 486
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.18
Very Rare Last name
Zajkowski
A Polish surname derived from the word "zajac" meaning hare or rabbit.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 581 Americans carry the last name Zajkowski. That puts it at #45,457 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 589,939 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zajkowski 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
581
1 in 589,939
Census rank
#45,457
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
507
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 507 bearers of the surname Zajkowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45457th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zajkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zajkowski
The surname Zajkowski has its origins in Poland, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. Specifically, the name is closely associated with the Eastern and Northern regions of Poland, often appearing in records from Masovia (Mazovia) and Podlachia (Podlasie).
The name Zajkowski is derived from the Polish words "zajęc" or "zając," which mean "hare" in English. This etymology suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who lived in an area with a large hare population, or someone who exhibited characteristics associated with a hare, such as agility or speed. The suffix "-owski" is a common adjectival form indicating "from" or "belonging to" a particular place, implying that the original bearers of the name hailed from a location associated with hares, or a village known as Zajki or similar.
One of the earliest references to the name Zajkowski in historical documents dates back to the 15th century. Records from 1461 mention a nobleman named Jan Zajkowski, a landowner in the region of Masovia. This early documentation indicates that the name was established among the Polish nobility and landowners.
By the 16th century, the name Zajkowski appeared in several legal documents and property records. One such notable individual was Stanisław Zajkowski, born in 1527, who served as a local magistrate in the town of Płock. His role in the community and frequent mentions in legal records underscore the family's continued prominence.
The 17th century saw another significant Zajkowski emerge: Marcin Zajkowski, born in 1603, who was a well-known soldier and part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's military campaigns. Marcin's valor and leadership were documented in various military records, securing the name's association with martial prowess and bravery.
In the 18th century, the Zajkowski family continued to play a notable role in Poland's history. One such figure was Kazimierz Zajkowski, born in 1735, who was a participant in the Bar Confederation—a rebellion against Russian influence in Poland. His involvement in this historical event signifies the name's connection to the Polish struggle for sovereignty.
Another important individual bearing the surname was Józef Zajkowski, born in 1831, who became known as a poet and writer during the 19th century. His works contributed to Polish literature and cultural identity during a period of partitions and political upheaval, making him a cultural torchbearer for his nation.
In summary, the Zajkowski surname has deep historical roots in Poland, with early references to nobility and landowners. The name, derived from associations with hares and specific locales, has been borne by individuals involved in significant historical events and cultural contributions spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zajkowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Zajkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zajkowski 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 Zajkowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 483
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 8
- Two or more races1.6% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 6
- Black or African American0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zajkowski
Zajkowski 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
#41,038
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 531
+45 bearers (+9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Up 1,018 places
2020
#45,457
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 507
-24 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Down 4,419 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #42,056 | 486 | 0.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #41,038 | 531 | 0.18 | +45 bearers (+9.3%) | Up 1,018 places |
| 2020 | #45,457 | 507 | 0.17 | -24 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 4,419 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 Zajkowski 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 | #41,038 | #45,457 | -10.8% |
| Count | 531 | 507 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.18 | 0.17 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zajkowski bearers went from 531 to 507 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 4,419 positions in the national ranking, going from #41,038 to #45,457.
FAQ
Zajkowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zajkowski?
Name Census estimates that about 581 living Americans carry the surname Zajkowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 589,939 residents.
How common is Zajkowski?
Zajkowski ranks #45,457 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 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 507 people with the surname Zajkowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (581), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 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 Zajkowski.
Has Zajkowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zajkowski went from 531 recorded bearers to 507. That is a decrease of 24 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #41,038 to #45,457.
What does the Census say about the background of Zajkowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zajkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Zajkowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (483 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zajkowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Hispanic (1.6%), Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Zajkowski (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 Zajkowski mean?
A Polish surname derived from the word "zajac" meaning hare or rabbit. 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 Zajkowski (0.17 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 Zajkowski?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Zajkowski at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.