2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zawadzka
A Polish surname derived from a place name or personal name with the root "zawada" meaning "hindrance" or "obstacle".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Zawadzka. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zawadzka 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Zawadzka with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Zawadzka in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawadzka, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zawadzka
The surname Zawadzka originates from Poland and has deep roots in Slavic onomatology. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, with its earliest recordings found in the historical records of Poland. The word Zawadzka is derived from the Polish term "zawada," which means "obstacle" or "hindrance." It is often used in various Polish place names to denote an area characterized by natural obstacles like forests, hills, or rivers that impede passage.
The name Zawadzka historically points to individuals or families who lived near or on land that posed such natural difficulties. The suffix '-ska' is characteristically Polish and denotes a feminine form of surnames, with 'Zawadzki' being the masculine equivalent. This reflects the grammatical gender conventions in the Polish language, common in the Silesian and Masovian regions where the name was predominantly found.
One of the oldest references to the surname can be found in the 14th century in the records of the Polish nobility. Documents from the era of King Casimir III the Great (1333–1370) mention a noble family bearing the name Zawadzki, indicating their prominence and land ownership in the region. As Poland was a feudal society, such records were crucial for maintaining the lineage and estate details of noble families.
The surname Zawadzka also appears in historical manuscripts from the early modern period. For instance, in 1580, a Zofia Zawadzka was recorded in the legal documents of Greater Poland, highlighting the widespread use of the name across different social strata. Her involvement in a land dispute case provides a glimpse into the social and legal dynamics of the time.
Another notable historical figure with the surname is Stanisław Zawadzki, an acclaimed Polish architect born in 1743 and passed away in 1806. Recognized for his contributions to classical architecture in Poland, he was responsible for designing several prominent buildings, such as the Raczyński Library in Warsaw. His works remain significant in the study of Polish architectural history.
In the 19th century, the name appears again in connection with Józef Zawadzki, a pioneer of the Polish independence movement who lived between 1866 and 1953. As a chemist and a professor, he played a significant role in the development of Poland's scientific community and its struggle for autonomy under partitioning powers.
Additionally, the name Zawadzka is noted in the cultural sphere with individuals like Wanda Zawadzka, a celebrated Polish poet born in 1882 and passing away in 1940. She made considerable contributions to Polish literature and was active in the literary circles of her time, leaving an enduring legacy in Polish poetry.
These historical references underscore the enduring presence and significance of the surname Zawadzka from medieval Poland through the centuries. Reflecting both the geographical characteristics and social dynamics, the name carries a rich legacy tied to the cultural and historical fabric of Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zawadzka
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawadzka, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zawadzka 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 Zawadzka surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.4% · 111
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zawadzka
Zawadzka appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+9 bearers (+8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,412 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.6%) | Up 8,412 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 Zawadzka 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 | #154,907 | #146,495 | 5.4% |
| Count | 105 | 114 | 8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zawadzka bearers went from 105 to 114 (+8.6% change). The surname moved up 8,412 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #146,495.
FAQ
Zawadzka surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zawadzka?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Zawadzka. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Zawadzka?
Zawadzka ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Zawadzka. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Zawadzka.
Has Zawadzka become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zawadzka went from 105 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 9 (+8.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Zawadzka?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawadzka, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Zawadzka in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zawadzka appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.4%), Two or More Races (1.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Zawadzka (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 Zawadzka mean?
A Polish surname derived from a place name or personal name with the root "zawada" meaning "hindrance" or "obstacle". 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 Zawadzka (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 people are called Zawadzka?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Zawadzka on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.