2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ziemkowski
A Polish surname derived from the word "ziemia" meaning "earth" or "land".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Ziemkowski. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ziemkowski 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Ziemkowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziemkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ziemkowski
The surname Ziemkowski finds its origins in Poland, with the name likely emerging in the medieval period. Poland, with its complex history of nobility and shifting borders, often saw surnames derived from toponyms—place names—or descriptive terms related to the natural environment or occupations.
Ziemkowski is most likely derived from a place name, specifically from locations named Ziemkowo or Ziemków, which are relatively common village names in various regions of Poland. The “-owski” suffix in Polish surnames generally signifies "from" or "belonging to," indicating that Ziemkowski means "from Ziemkowo." The root "ziem-" could be linked to the Polish word "ziemia," meaning "land" or "earth," suggesting a connection to someone who worked the land or was associated with a particular piece of land.
Historical records from the 15th and 16th centuries might include variations of the name, such as Ziemkowsky or Ziemkovski, given the fluid nature of spelling during those times. One of the earliest mentions of a similar surname appears in local church records from the 1500s, where a Jan Ziemkowski is cited as a landowner in the Greater Poland region. These records highlight the prominence of the name within rural communities, often associated with farming and agriculture.
In the 17th century, a notable figure, Stanisław Ziemkowski, emerges in historical documents as a minor noble who participated in the defense of Polish territories against Swedish invasions during the Deluge (1655-1660). Another significant bearer of the surname was Katarzyna Ziemkowska, born in 1701, who became well-regarded in her community for her charitable works and contributions to the local church in Pomerania.
Fast forward to the 19th century, records identify Michał Ziemkowski, born in 1824, a prominent figure in the Koszalin area known for his efforts in local politics and his advocacy for agricultural reform. His work in the late 1800s had a lasting impact on the development of more modern farming techniques in the region.
Aleksander Ziemkowski, born in 1883, stands out in the annals of Polish educational history. He was an influential teacher and author in Warsaw, fostering modern educational practices during the interwar period. His writings and pedagogical methods left a significant mark on Polish education, emphasizing critical thinking and a scientific approach to learning.
Throughout history, the surname Ziemkowski has been borne by individuals who contributed to their communities in various meaningful ways. From landowners and minor nobility to educators and reformers, the name has a rich tapestry of historical significance within Poland. Each person carrying the surname has, in their own way, reflected the cultural and social changes occurring in the regions they inhabited.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ziemkowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziemkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ziemkowski 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 Ziemkowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 87
- Two or more races7.1% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ziemkowski
Ziemkowski 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+7 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,353 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-16 bearers (-13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,864 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 2,353 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -16 bearers (-13.9%) | Down 11,864 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 Ziemkowski 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 | #144,141 | #156,005 | -8.2% |
| Count | 115 | 99 | -13.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ziemkowski bearers went from 115 to 99 (-13.9% change). The surname moved down 11,864 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #156,005.
FAQ
Ziemkowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ziemkowski?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Ziemkowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Ziemkowski?
Ziemkowski ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Ziemkowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Ziemkowski.
Has Ziemkowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ziemkowski went from 115 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 16 (-13.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Ziemkowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziemkowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Ziemkowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ziemkowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Two or More Races (7.1%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Ziemkowski (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 Ziemkowski mean?
A Polish surname derived from the word "ziemia" meaning "earth" or "land". 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 Ziemkowski (0.03 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 Ziemkowski?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Ziemkowski on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.