2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zarsky
Of Slavic origin, meaning "relating to tsar or emperor" or "kingly".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Zarsky. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zarsky 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Zarsky in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zarsky
The surname Zarsky is of Slavic origin, specifically from the regions that are now known as the Czech Republic and Poland. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th to 15th centuries. Characteristic of Slavic surnames, it exhibits linguistic roots that are indicative of geography, occupation, or characteristic traits.
Zarsky is believed to be derived from the Slavic word "zar," which means "gold" or "bright." This root suggests that the name could have originally been used to describe someone with a bright or golden demeanor, or possibly someone who worked with or owned gold. Alternative theories suggest that it might be linked to the topographical features of the landscape, such as "zara" meaning "edge" or "frontier," indicating someone who lived at the edge of a forest or settlement.
The name appears in various historical records from Central Europe, though not as early as documents like the Domesday Book in England. It can be found in medieval manuscripts and registries of the Holy Roman Empire, of which the Czech lands and parts of Poland were significant regions. One of the earliest recorded mentions is in a 15th-century Bohemian registry where a Jan Zarsky is listed as a landowner and merchant, evidencing the importance of the name within the local economy and society at that time.
In the 16th century, another significant individual, Matej Zarsky (1502-1576), was documented to have been involved in the botanical and medicinal studies prevalent in Bohemia. He contributed scholarly works on herbal medicine that were later referenced in Central European scientific communities.
The Zarsky name also appears in 17th-century Poland with notable individuals such as Jakub Zarsky (1624-1698), a member of the local nobility who played roles in regional administration and governance. His military services against the Swedish invasion during the Deluge period were well recorded in local chronicles.
In the 18th century, Josef Zarsky (1731-1795) emerged as a significant figure in the arts, known particularly for his work as a composer and musician in Prague. His compositions, though not widely known today, were an important part of Bohemian musical heritage and were performed in many local courts.
Moving into the 19th century, Anna Zarsky (1809-1878) made strides in the field of education as one of the early advocates for women's educational rights in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Her efforts culminated in the establishment of one of the first schools for young women in Prague, an institution that held her name in honor.
In conclusion, the surname Zarsky has a storied history rooted in the Slavic regions of Central Europe. Its legacy transcends into various realms such as commerce, science, governance, arts, and education, leaving an indelible mark on the historical tapestry of the Czech Republic and Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zarsky
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zarsky 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 Zarsky surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zarsky
Zarsky 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-5 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,340 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-10 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,772 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 12,340 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 10,772 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 Zarsky 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 | #136,449 | #147,221 | -7.9% |
| Count | 123 | 113 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zarsky bearers went from 123 to 113 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 10,772 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #147,221.
FAQ
Zarsky surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zarsky?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Zarsky. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Zarsky?
Zarsky ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Zarsky. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Zarsky.
Has Zarsky become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zarsky went from 123 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Zarsky?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarsky, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Zarsky in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zarsky appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.6%), Hispanic (2.7%), Black (0.9%). 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 Zarsky (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 Zarsky mean?
Of Slavic origin, meaning "relating to tsar or emperor" or "kingly". 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 Zarsky (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 Americans have the surname Zarsky?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.