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

Zalinski, 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 Zalinski surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zalinski in America

Zalinski is the 90853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zalinski surname appeared 203 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 Zalinski.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zalinski 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 Zalinski

The surname Zalinski originates from Poland, particularly from regions that were once part of the historical Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The name has Slavic roots, and it is believed to be derived from the Polish word "zalew," which means "flood" or "inundation." The suffix "ski" is a common Polish suffix denoting possession or affiliation, thus Zalinski could mean "of the flood" or "from the flooded area."

The earliest references to the surname Zalinski appear in medieval Polish records dating back to the 14th century. Manuscripts from regions such as Masovia and Lesser Poland often document families bearing this name. These regions were characterized by their dense network of rivers and waterways, making the association with floodplains quite plausible.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname can be found in a 1376 land registry from Kraków, which mentions a Piotr Zalinski as a landowner. Another notable early reference is in a 1453 legal document from Warsaw, documenting a legal dispute involving Mikolaj Zalinski, a merchant. These early instances establish the presence of the Zalinski name in prominent Polish urban centers during the medieval period.

Several place names in Poland have connections to the Zalinski surname. For instance, the village of Zalewo in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship might share etymological roots with the surname, though it is more often the case that surnames like Zalinski inspired place names rather than the reverse.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Zalinski. Ernest Zalinski (1849-1924) was a Polish-American military engineer known for his pioneering work in the field of artillery. Another prominent figure was Zygmunt Zalinski, a Polish physicist who contributed significantly to the study of electromagnetism in the early 20th century. The name Zalinski also appears in cultural records, with Józef Zalinski being a renowned 19th-century Polish painter known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life.

In the realm of academia, Dr. Anna Zalinski (1902-1978) made significant contributions to the field of Slavic linguistics, helping to preserve and study numerous Eastern European dialects. The surname continues to hold historical significance through various scholarly and professional achievements documented over the centuries. This enduring presence reflects the rich cultural and historical tapestry that Zalinski represents within Polish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zalinski

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

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

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

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