2000
#99,214
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 169
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Zatopek
A surname likely originating from a Czech geographical location or occupational reference.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 217 Americans carry the last name Zatopek. That puts it at #101,718 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,579,513 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zatopek 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
217
1 in 1,579,513
Census rank
#101,718
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
189
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 189 bearers of the surname Zatopek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 101718th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zatopek, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.5%) and Two or More Races (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zatopek
The surname Zatopek has its origins in the Czech Republic, specifically from the regions of Moravia and Bohemia. The name dates back to the medieval period, and it is derived from the Old Czech verb "zatopečka," which means "to drown" or "to dip." This might have referred to a person living near a body of water or someone involved in fishing or aquatic activities. Variante spellings of the name from historical records include Zatopěk, Zatopka, and Zątopek.
One of the earliest references to the name Zatopek can be found in land registry documents from the 15th century in Moravia. Historical manuscripts from this region sometimes list the name among local inhabitants, emphasizing its roots in the Czech cultural and geographical landscape. These documents highlight the importance of surnames in demarcating family lines and trades.
One of the most famous bearers of the surname is Emil Zatopek (1922-2000), a Czech long-distance runner often dubbed "the Czech Locomotive." He won four Olympic gold medals and set numerous world records in the 1940s and 1950s, becoming a national hero. His wife, Dana Zatopkova (1922-2020), was also a renowned Olympic javelin thrower and added prominence to the surname on the international stage.
In the late 1600s, an individual named Jan Zatopka was recorded as a landowner in the Moravian town of Vsetín. Jan's name appears in several tax registers, indicating a stable and possibly affluent status within the community. Historical census data from this period occasionally list the variations of the surname, demonstrating its persistence over the centuries.
Another notable figure is František Zatopěk, a 19th-century Czech scholar and historian. Born in 1823, he authored several texts on Czech history and folklore, contributing significantly to nationalistic movements during the Austro-Hungarian reign. His works are still referenced today by historians studying the cultural evolution of the Czech lands.
In the 18th century, records from the town of Olomouc mention an artisan named Václav Zatopka. He was a master blacksmith and part of the local guild, further illustrating the surname’s association with skilled trades. Guild records from this era note his craftsmanship and the apprenticeship programs he supervised, emphasizing the family’s multi-generational ties to professional vocations.
The name Zatopek is also found in various historical military records. Josef Zatopka, born in 1785, served as an officer in the Napoleonic Wars, distinguishing himself in several battles. His military career was well-documented, highlighting the diverse paths individuals with this surname have taken throughout history.
The surname Zatopek thus encompasses a rich historical tapestry, spanning various professions and notable figures. It reflects both geographical and cultural elements central to Czech history, legacy, and identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zatopek
Among Census respondents with the surname Zatopek, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.5%) and Two or More Races (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Zatopek 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 Zatopek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.2% · 161
- Hispanic or Latino8.5% · 16
- Two or more races5.3% · 10
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zatopek
Zatopek 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
#100,791
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 179
+10 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 1,577 places
2020
#101,718
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 189
+10 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 927 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #99,214 | 169 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #100,791 | 179 | 0.06 | +10 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 1,577 places |
| 2020 | #101,718 | 189 | 0.06 | +10 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 927 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 Zatopek 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 | #100,791 | #101,718 | -0.9% |
| Count | 179 | 189 | 5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | 5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zatopek bearers went from 179 to 189 (+5.6% change). The surname moved down 927 positions in the national ranking, going from #100,791 to #101,718.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zatopek
FAQ
Zatopek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zatopek?
Name Census estimates that about 217 living Americans carry the surname Zatopek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,579,513 residents.
How common is Zatopek?
Zatopek ranks #101,718 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 189 people with the surname Zatopek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (217), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Zatopek.
Has Zatopek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zatopek went from 179 recorded bearers to 189. That is an increase of 10 (+5.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #100,791 to #101,718.
What does the Census say about the background of Zatopek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zatopek, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.5%) and Two or More Races (5.3%). 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 Zatopek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (161 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zatopek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.2%), Hispanic (8.5%), Two or More Races (5.3%). 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 Zatopek (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 Zatopek mean?
A surname likely originating from a Czech geographical location or occupational reference. 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 Zatopek (0.06 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 surname Zatopek?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.