2000
#14,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,965
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.73
Rare Last name
Zawacki
A Polish surname derived from a place name or describing someone from a particular location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,107 Americans carry the last name Zawacki. That puts it at #15,375 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 162,674 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zawacki 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
2.1K
1 in 162,674
Census rank
#15,375
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,837 bearers of the surname Zawacki in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15375th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawacki, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zawacki
The surname Zawacki originates from Poland and dates back to the medieval period. In Poland, surnames were often derived from occupations, locations, or personal characteristics. Zawacki is a toponymic surname, meaning it is derived from a place name or a particular geographical feature. It is linked to the name of various places in Poland, such as Zawady or Zawadka, small villages and settlements whose names stem from the Old Polish word "zawada," meaning an obstacle or barrier. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname might have lived near or been associated with such features.
The surname Zawacki appears in historical records from the early modern period. These references can be found in land registers, court documents, and church records, which often provide snippets of information about families and individuals. The Polish noble class, known as the szlachta, sometimes included individuals with the Zawacki surname, indicating their possession of some land or minor titles.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is from the 16th century. For instance, Piotr Zawacki, born around 1550, is noted in historical documents as a landowner in the region now known as Greater Poland. He is mentioned in a legal dispute over border demarcations, an issue that was common among landowners of the time.
During the 18th century, notable individuals with the surname Zawacki emerged. Jan Zawacki (1702-1780), a minor noble, served in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth’s army and was also involved in local politics. His correspondence and various mentions in historical records contribute to our understanding of his role and the prominence of the Zawacki name during this period.
In the 19th century, Katarzyna Zawacka (1835-1899) made her mark as a prominent social figure in Warsaw. She was known for her charitable work and involvement in the Polish independence movement. Her activities are well-documented in the papers of various historical societies and national archives, offering insight into the social history of the time.
Another significant bearer of the surname is Gen. Maria Zawacka (1909-2009), a notable figure from the 20th century. She was a courier for the Polish Underground Army during World War II and later became a professor and historian. Her extensive contributions to Polish history and her courageous wartime efforts have cemented her legacy.
In examining the historical trajectory of the surname Zawacki, it is clear that it carries a rich heritage linked to specific locations and various notable individuals throughout Polish history. The name has evolved alongside Poland’s turbulent past, from medieval times through wars, partitions, and periods of independence, demonstrating the resilience and significance of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zawacki
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawacki, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Zawacki 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 Zawacki surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 1,724
- Two or more races2.6% · 47
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 42
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 12
- Black or African American0.5% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zawacki
Zawacki 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
#15,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,909
-56 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Down 1,299 places
2020
#15,375
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,837
-72 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Down 12 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,064 | 1,965 | 0.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,363 | 1,909 | 0.65 | -56 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 1,299 places |
| 2020 | #15,375 | 1,837 | 0.61 | -72 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 12 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 Zawacki 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 | #15,363 | #15,375 | -0.1% |
| Count | 1,909 | 1,837 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.65 | 0.61 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zawacki bearers went from 1,909 to 1,837 (-3.8% change). The surname moved down 12 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,363 to #15,375.
FAQ
Zawacki surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zawacki?
Name Census estimates that about 2,107 living Americans carry the surname Zawacki. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 162,674 residents.
How common is Zawacki?
Zawacki ranks #15,375 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,837 people with the surname Zawacki. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,107), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Zawacki.
Has Zawacki become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zawacki went from 1,909 recorded bearers to 1,837. That is a decrease of 72 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #15,363 to #15,375.
What does the Census say about the background of Zawacki?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawacki, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Zawacki in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (1,724 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zawacki appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Two or More Races (2.6%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Zawacki (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 Zawacki mean?
A Polish surname derived from a place name or describing someone from a particular location. 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 Zawacki (0.61 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 Zawacki?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.