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

Zelinski, 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 Zelinski surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zelinski in America

Zelinski is the 19123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zelinski surname appeared 1,422 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 Zelinski.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zelinski 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 Zelinski

The surname Zelinski has its origins in Poland, a country in Central Europe. The name dates back several centuries, with roots originating in the medieval period. Zelinski is derived from the Polish adjective "zielony," meaning "green." The addition of the suffix "ski," which means "from" and denotes a geographical or locational origin, suggests that the surname Zelinski means "from the green place" or "one who comes from a green area," referring to lush, verdant lands.

Zelinski is prevalent in regions with heavily forested and green landscapes, such as Masovia and Lesser Poland. The surname is an example of a toponymic surname, which was common in Polish naming customs. The historical spellings of Zelinski have included Zelinsky, Zelenski, and Zielinski, reflecting phonetic spellings that may have varied over time and regions.

Records from the medieval period show instances of the name appearing in land deeds and legal documents. One of the earliest references to the name can be found in 14th-century Polish records. For instance, a document dating to 1386 mentions a Piotr Zelinski, a landowner in Masovia, indicating the name's noble associations in that era.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Zelinski. Jan Zelinski (born in 1510), a merchant whose name appears in Krakow's trade registers, was one of the earliest recorded examples. Another historical figure was Stanislaw Zelinski (1750-1812), an officer in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army. Records from the time of the Napoleonic Wars show a Captain Jozef Zelinski (1768-1820) who served in the Polish Legions under Napoleon, highlighting the name's historical military connections.

Helena Zelinska (1857-1936), a noted Polish poet and feminist, was a prominent figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her literary works often explored themes of nature and pastoral beauty, undoubtedly influenced by her surname's connection to verdant landscapes. In the realm of science, Dr. Kazimierz Zelinski (1900-1965) made significant contributions to Polish botany during the mid-20th century.

The name Zelinski has appeared in various forms in historical records and continues to be recognized as a surname rich in cultural and geographic significance. Its deep roots in Polish history and its association with lush, green locales make it a name with a vivid and historic pedigree.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zelinski

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

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

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

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