2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zielski
A Polish surname originally indicating a connection to a green or grassy area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Zielski. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zielski 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Zielski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zielski, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zielski
The surname Zielski finds its origins in Poland, a nation with a rich tapestry of surnames influenced by its diverse history and linguistic heritage. The name is typically linked to the region of central and eastern Poland, where it was most prevalent. It derives from the root word "ziemia," meaning "land" or "earth" in Polish, suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have been landowners or farmers. Similar to many Polish surnames, Zielski likely has toponymic origins, pointing to a geographical association with a place named Ziel or Zielsko.
Historical references to the surname Zielski can be traced back to medieval records, though precise documentation is often sparse. One of the earliest mentions of the name appears in 14th-century ecclesiastical records, where a Petrus Zielski is noted as a landholder in the Voivodeship of Masovia around 1378. The region’s tax registers and land deeds from this period suggest that the family held some local prominence.
By the 16th century, the Zielski surname was also recorded in court documents and marriage registries. For instance, Jakub Zielski, born in 1521 and documented as part of the Polish gentry, participated in several land transactions in the Wielkopolska region. His life spanned into the early 17th century, with his last recorded activity in 1598, illustrating the name's enduring presence in Polish socio-economic affairs.
Noteworthy individuals bearing the Zielski surname from this era include Stanisław Zielski, a minor noble born in 1603 who served as a local judge in the Lublin province until his death in 1678. His judicial records, which survive in the National Archives, shed light on the legal conflicts and social dynamics of his time.
In the late 18th century, Antoni Zielski, born in 1762, emerged as a prominent figure in the nationalist movements during Poland's partitions. He was an active participant in local uprisings against foreign domination and is frequently mentioned in correspondence with other leaders of the resistance.
During the 19th century, the Zielski name continued to be associated with notable landowners and intellectuals. Józef Zielski, born in 1825, was a recognized agronomist and writer on modern agricultural techniques. His works published in the 1850s provided insights into the evolving agricultural practices of the time.
The legacy of the Zielski name is preserved not only through historical documents but through the enduring presence of the name in Poland and among the Polish diaspora. The historical impact of individuals carrying the Zielski surname highlights the intertwined nature of land, heritage, and identity in Polish history, offering a window into the lived experiences of families across centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zielski
Among Census respondents with the surname Zielski, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zielski 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 Zielski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zielski
Zielski 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
-3 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 9,956 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-15 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,294 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-2.2%) | Down 9,956 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 15,294 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 Zielski 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 | #127,494 | #142,788 | -12.0% |
| Count | 134 | 119 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zielski bearers went from 134 to 119 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 15,294 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #142,788.
FAQ
Zielski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zielski?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Zielski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Zielski?
Zielski ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Zielski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Zielski.
Has Zielski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zielski went from 134 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Zielski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zielski, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Zielski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zielski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), Hispanic (0.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Zielski (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 Zielski mean?
A Polish surname originally indicating a connection to a green or grassy area. 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 Zielski (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 have the last name Zielski?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Zielski, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.