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

Zemanek, 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 Zemanek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zemanek in America

Zemanek is the 34916th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zemanek surname appeared 646 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 Zemanek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zemanek 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 Zemanek

The surname Zemanek originates from the Central and Eastern European regions, specifically from countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. The name has its roots in the Slavic word "zeman," which referred to a member of the lower nobility or a small landowner. This term was commonly used during the medieval period, a time when society in these regions was heavily stratified and land ownership was a significant marker of status.

Initially, surnames like Zemanek would have emerged around the 14th to 15th centuries when surnames started to become hereditary in these areas. The name is prevalent in rural regions where families were traditionally engaged in farming or small-scale landowning. It would not be unusual to find similar derivatives in old records, such as Zemánek in Czech or Żemaniec in Polish, reflecting slight shifts in spelling and pronunciation.

Historical references to this surname can be found in various archival documents and church records. For example, a mention in the Royal Czech Archives dated back to 1476 references a Matěj Zemanek, a small landowner from Moravia. This documentation suggests the name was well-established among the rural gentry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zemanek in Polish history comes from a 1523 Kraków municipal record, referencing a Jan Żemaniec, a local merchant. These city records provide insight into how the surname spread from rural areas to urban environments.

Famous bearers of the surname include Jan Zemanek (1694–1765), a notable figure in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth who served as a military officer. Another distinguished individual is Václav Zemanek (1730–1792), an influential Czech cleric and theologian whose writings significantly impacted religious thought in Bohemia.

In more modern history, Karol Zemanek (1856–1919), a Slovak botanist, made significant contributions to the field of plant sciences and is remembered for his extensive research and publications. Additionally, Ludmila Zemanek (1904–1982), a renowned Czech poet and novelist, gained fame for her literary works which often depicted rural Czech life and highlighted social issues.

The surname Zemanek has a rich history integral to the cultural and social development of Central and Eastern Europe. The name carries with it a legacy of small landowning, societal status, and contributions to various fields of knowledge and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zemanek

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

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

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

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