2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zareski
A locational surname originating from a place in Poland or Ukraine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Zareski. 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 Zareski 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 Zareski 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 Zareski, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zareski
The surname Zareski has its origins in Eastern Europe, with strong connections to Poland. This name is quintessentially Polish, emerging in the regions of Masovia and Lesser Poland. The earliest documented usage of this surname dates back to the late Middle Ages, around the 15th century. It is derived from the Polish word "zar," which means "ember" or "glow," combined with the suffix "-ski," indicating a geographical or locational connection.
Several spellings of the name, such as Zaresky and Zarski, appear in historical records, showcasing the fluidity of surname spelling conventions in the pre-modern era. One of the earliest references to a person with this surname is found in a land registry from 1472, listing Jakub Zareski as a landowner in the Masovian Voivodeship. This points to the surname’s association with regional nobility or gentry.
A notable historical personality is Andrzej Zareski, born in 1589, who was a scholar and chronicler. He wrote extensively about the political landscape of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, providing an invaluable resource for historians today. His works, dated to the early 17th century, frequently feature his signature, cementing his prominence and the surname's reputation in academic and literary circles of the time.
The name Zareski also appears in military records. For instance, General Tomasz Zareski, born in 1763, served in the Kościuszko Uprising against foreign partitioning powers. He became renowned for his tactical skills and contributions to Poland’s fight for independence. His legacy endures in Polish military history, with numerous accounts of his strategic expertise documented in battle logs and personal correspondences.
In the 19th century, another prominent figure, Maria Zareski, emerged in the realm of social activism. Born in 1831, she was a passionate advocate for women's education and social reforms. Her tireless efforts led to the establishment of several schools and educational programs aimed at improving the literacy and societal participation of women in Poland. Her extensive correspondence and documented speeches provide a rich source of insight into her influential role.
Lastly, Piotr Zareski, an artist born in 1897, gained considerable acclaim for his contributions to Polish modernist painting. His works, often depicting the resilience and spirit of Polish culture, are displayed in national galleries. His artistic legacy continues to inspire new generations of Polish painters, ensuring that the surname Zareski remains celebrated in the world of art and culture.
Through these historical references and notable bearers, the surname Zareski is deeply etched into the annals of Polish history, flowing through various fields from landowning and scholarship to military heroism, activism, and art.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zareski
Among Census respondents with the surname Zareski, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zareski 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 Zareski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 7
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zareski
Zareski 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,949 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,109 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 8,949 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Up 5,109 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 Zareski 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 | #156,044 | #150,935 | 3.3% |
| Count | 104 | 108 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zareski bearers went from 104 to 108 (+3.8% change). The surname moved up 5,109 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #150,935.
FAQ
Zareski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zareski?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Zareski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Zareski?
Zareski 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 Zareski. 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 Zareski.
Has Zareski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zareski went from 104 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 4 (+3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Zareski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zareski, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Zareski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zareski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Zareski (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 Zareski mean?
A locational surname originating from a place in Poland or Ukraine. 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 Zareski (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 have the last name Zareski?
See how many people have the last name Zareski on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.