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

Zavatsky, 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 Zavatsky surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zavatsky in America

Zavatsky is the 62903rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zavatsky surname appeared 318 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 Zavatsky.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zavatsky 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 Zavatsky

The surname Zavatsky is of Eastern European origin, specifically tied to the regions of Ukraine and Poland. The name emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 14th and 16th centuries, when surnames began to be adopted more widely across Europe. The name Zavatsky is etymologically derived from the Slavic words "zawada" or "zawad," which generally mean "obstacle" or "barrier." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to individuals or families who lived near a geographic feature that impeded travel or movement, such as a hill or river.

The earliest records of the Zavatsky surname appear in regional tax records and parish registers from the late 15th century in areas that are now modern-day Ukraine and southeastern Poland. Historical references to the surname can be found in documents related to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was a significant political entity during that era. These records often list the name in various spellings, such as Zawadzki or Zawatsky, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname is Jan Zavatsky, who was noted in a 1523 land register from the region of Galicia, a historical and geographic region spanning modern Poland and Ukraine. Another early example is Aleksandr Zavatsky, a minor noble mentioned in a 1568 document detailing the military obligations of Polish gentry. His service in the defense against Ottoman incursions into Europe highlights the martial significance of some bearers of this surname.

Katarzyna Zavatsky, born in 1590 and died in 1654, is an interesting historical figure, known for her involvement in the regional administration of a small town in what is now western Ukraine. She played a significant role in local governance during a period when such involvement by women was relatively uncommon. Another notable bearer of the surname was Jakub Zavatsky, an 18th-century poet whose works contributed to the cultural tapestry of early-modern Poland. He was born in 1703 and died tragically young in 1735, yet his poetry has been cited in several anthologies of Polish literature.

By the 19th century, the name Zavatsky can be traced to communities within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as evidenced by records of immigration to the United States and other countries. One such emigrant was Ivan Zavatsky, born in 1834, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1864 and became a well-known figure within the Ukrainian-American community there. His contributions to the local church and cultural organizations were significant during this period of increased Eastern European immigration to the New World.

Throughout history, the Zavatsky surname has been associated with various regions and social standings, from minor nobility to immigrants seeking better lives abroad. Further study into regional archives and historical documents may reveal even more about the rich history and lineage of the Zavatsky family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zavatsky

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

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

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

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