2000
#37,728
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 554
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Zelazny
A Polish surname derived from the Polish word for "iron" (żelazny).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 633 Americans carry the last name Zelazny. That puts it at #42,328 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 541,476 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zelazny 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
633
1 in 541,476
Census rank
#42,328
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
552
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 552 bearers of the surname Zelazny in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 42328th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zelazny, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zelazny
The surname Zelazny has its origins in Poland, a country with a rich history of diverse cultural influences. The name is derived from the Polish word żelazny, which means "iron" or "metallic." It is indicative of strength and resilience, common traits admired in various societies throughout history. The surname is thought to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly in the 13th or 14th century, when occupational surnames were becoming common in Europe.
Zelazny would have originally denoted someone who worked with iron, such as a blacksmith or metalworker, or someone who lived near an iron mine. This is supported by the frequent use of occupational names in medieval Poland and other Slavic countries. The usage of similar words can be seen in the older Slavic languages, reinforcing the etymological roots tied to metal and ironworking.
One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name dates back to the late medieval era. Manuscripts and records from this period occasionally mention individuals tied to the trade of metalworking, with variations in spelling due to the lack of standardized orthography. The name appears in various forms such as Zelasny, Zelazni, or Zhelazny, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and transcription errors by scribes.
Historical references to individuals with the surname Zelazny have been documented in several Polish records. An early notable figure is Jan Zelazny (circa 1450-1520), a metalworker known for his contributions to the local craft guilds in Kraków. Another significant individual is Mateusz Zelazny (1550-1610), whose work as a blacksmith was renowned in the region of Silesia, a historically contested area influenced by both Polish and German cultures.
The surname continued to appear in various historical documents and records. One such instance is the record of Stanislaw Zelazny (1702-1768), a merchant who expanded his trade to include iron goods, highlighting the versatility and evolving nature of the professions associated with this surname. By the 18th century, the name was well-established within Polish society.
In more recent history, the surname gained international recognition through the contributions of Roger Zelazny (1937-1995), an American writer of Polish descent known for his work in science fiction and fantasy literature. His novels, such as the Chronicles of Amber series, brought global attention to the name Zelazny, demonstrating its enduring legacy.
Another notable individual is Andrzej Zelazny (1923-1981), a distinguished scholar in Polish history whose extensive research contributed to our understanding of medieval Slavic cultures. His work often referenced the socio-economic conditions that shaped the lives of artisans and craftsmen, including those bearing the surname Zelazny.
The surname Zelazny has a rich history rooted in the tradition of metalworking and craftsmanship in Poland. It has evolved over centuries, intertwining with the cultural and economic development of the regions it originates from. The name's legacy is reflected in historical records and its presence in notable figures who have carried the surname into modern times.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zelazny
Among Census respondents with the surname Zelazny, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zelazny 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 Zelazny surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 513
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 21
- Two or more races1.6% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 5
- Black or African American0.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zelazny
Zelazny 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
#37,899
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 586
+32 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 171 places
2020
#42,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 552
-34 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 4,429 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #37,728 | 554 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #37,899 | 586 | 0.20 | +32 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 171 places |
| 2020 | #42,328 | 552 | 0.18 | -34 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 4,429 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 Zelazny 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 | #37,899 | #42,328 | -11.7% |
| Count | 586 | 552 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.18 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zelazny bearers went from 586 to 552 (-5.8% change). The surname moved down 4,429 positions in the national ranking, going from #37,899 to #42,328.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zelazny
FAQ
Zelazny surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zelazny?
Name Census estimates that about 633 living Americans carry the surname Zelazny. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 541,476 residents.
How common is Zelazny?
Zelazny ranks #42,328 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.18 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 552 people with the surname Zelazny. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (633), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.18 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 Zelazny.
Has Zelazny become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zelazny went from 586 recorded bearers to 552. That is a decrease of 34 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #37,899 to #42,328.
What does the Census say about the background of Zelazny?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zelazny, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Zelazny in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (513 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zelazny appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Zelazny (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 Zelazny mean?
A Polish surname derived from the Polish word for "iron" (żelazny). 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 Zelazny (0.18 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 Zelazny?
See how many people have the surname Zelazny on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.