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

Zarnowski, 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 Zarnowski surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zarnowski in America

Zarnowski is the 64559th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zarnowski surname appeared 308 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 Zarnowski.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zarnowski 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 Zarnowski

The surname Zarnowski has its origins in Poland, a country with a rich tapestry of surnames often deeply connected to geography, occupation, or lineage. It can be traced back to the medieval period when surnames started becoming hereditary, around the 14th and 15th centuries. The name Zarnowski is derived from a place name, specifically from the Polish villages and towns named Żarnów or related derivatives.

The root of Zarnowski comes from the Polish word żarna, which means quern-stones or millstones used for grinding grain. This indicates that the surname may have originally referred to people who lived near, worked at, or owned a mill or were involved in milling activities. The addition of the suffix -owski indicates a locational origin, meaning "of Zarnow" or "from Zarnow," emphasizing a connection to a village named Żarnów or its surroundings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zarnowski appears in old Polish church records and legal documents from the 16th century. These records were kept by monasteries and noble houses, where surnames were meticulously documented for land ownership and tax purposes. In some old spellings, variations such as Czarnoffsky or Czarnowski can be found, reflecting the fluid orthography of the time.

In 1795, Jan Zarnowski, a notable figure, was mentioned in documents related to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was an influential landowner and his contributions to the local community were recorded in church and municipal records. Another prominent bearer of the name was Kazimierz Zarnowski, born in 1822, a well-regarded academic and professor who significantly impacted the Polish educational reforms in the mid-19th century.

During the 19th century partitions of Poland, many Zarnowskis were involved in the political struggles and uprisings against occupying powers. One such figure, Piotr Zarnowski, born in 1846, participated in the January Uprising of 1863 against the Russian Empire. His efforts and subsequent exile to Siberia were well-documented in Polish nationalist literature.

In the early 20th century, the name gained further prominence through Stanislaw Zarnowski, born in 1885, a recognized composer and musician whose works contributed to Polish cultural life during the interwar period. His compositions were performed across Europe, bringing attention to both his name and his national heritage.

Aleksander Zarnowski, born in 1901, became a notable historian and published several important works on medieval Polish history. His research and publications remain influential in the field of historical studies and continue to be referenced by scholars interested in Central European medieval history.

Each of these individuals highlights the historical significance of the surname and its bearers, marking a legacy intertwined with Polish history and culture. The surname Zarnowski encapsulates a rich heritage, revealing the etymological depth and historical resonance within the Polish-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zarnowski

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

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

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

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