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

Zelinka, 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 Zelinka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zelinka in America

Zelinka is the 59603rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zelinka surname appeared 339 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 Zelinka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zelinka 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 Zelinka

The surname Zelinka originates from the regions that are today known as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, though it can also be found in neighboring countries such as Poland and Austria. Its roots can be traced back to the Slavic language group, specifically from the Czech and Slovak languages. The name Zelinka is derived from the word "zelena," which means "green" in Czech and Slovak, indicating a possible connection to someone who lived near or tended to green spaces, such as a meadow or a pasture.

The earliest records of the surname Zelinka appear in medieval times, around the 14th century. Early references can be found in land charters and local manuscripts that documented landownership and residential listings. Though the name did not appear in the Domesday Book, which is specific to England, it did show up in various Central European records, such as the Kingdom of Bohemia's registries.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Zelinka is found in 1376 in the town of České Budějovice, a city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The registries listed a certain Jakub Zelinka, who was a landowner responsible for local agricultural practices. The name also appears in early 15th-century documents from Bratislava, where Andrej Zelinka was noted as a merchant involved in regional trade.

In terms of geographical spread and impact, the name Zelinka can be found in many historical documents throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as both the Czech Republic and Slovakia were part of it. The surname was fairly common among farmers and tradespeople, reflecting its origins linked to the land and its cultivation.

One prominent bearer of this surname is Otakar Zelinka (1882–1966), a Czech violinist and musicologist who made significant contributions to the study and performance of Slavic music. Another notable individual is Karel Zelinka (1898–1960), a Czech painter known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life in Bohemia.

The name Zelinka also crosses into the literary world with Ladislav Zelinka (1917–1991), a Slovak poet whose works focused on themes of nature and rural existence. Another important figure is Marta Zelinka (1922–1999), a Czech writer and journalist who chronicled the social changes during and after World War II.

In the realm of science, Rudolf Zelinka (1908–1986) made a name for himself as an influential chemist in Czechoslovakia, contributing extensively to the field of organic chemistry. His research and numerous publications helped advance the understanding of chemical processes and compounds.

The name Zelinka, through its historical records and notable personalities, reflects a journey deeply rooted in the Slavic tradition of Central Europe. Its etymological link to nature and the land points to the agrarian lifestyles of its early bearers, providing a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zelinka

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!