2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zientarski
A Polish surname derived from the name "Zientarz", meaning someone from the region or town of Zientar.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Zientarski. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zientarski 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Zientarski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zientarski, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zientarski
The surname Zientarski originates from Poland, a country with a rich history of distinct and meaningful surnames. The name is most commonly associated with the region of Mazovia in central Poland, though it can also be found in other areas such as Greater Poland and Lesser Poland. The surname likely came into regular use during the late medieval period, around the 13th to 15th centuries, when surnames began to be more rigidly inherited and documented.
Zientarski is derived from the Polish word "zientar," which is a variant of the name "Ziętara." This word is thought to be rooted in the archaic term "ziętarz," meaning "husband's brother," or more broadly related to kinship terms. The suffix "-ski" is indicative of a noble or toponymic origin, suggesting that the original bearers of the surname may have been associated with a particular place or estate named after the kinship term. This form is similar to other Polish surnames like Kowalski or Janowski, which signify a connection to a trade or location.
Historical records are sparse, but the name Zientarski appears in several old Polish documents and church registers from the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the earliest recorded mentions is found in a 1588 land registry of Mazovia, indicating that a family by this name owned significant plots of land. Further documentation in 1623 lists a Mikołaj Zientarski as a noted landowner and nobleman in the region of Płock, Mazovia.
In the 18th century, the name appears in tax registers and legal documents, solidifying its presence among the Polish gentry. Another significant figure, Jan Zientarski, born in 1732, became known for his contributions to local governance in the Podlachia region. He served as a magistrate and had a considerable influence over municipal decisions until his death in 1797.
The 19th century saw notable individuals with the surname Zientarski contributing to various fields. Stanisław Zientarski, born in 1821, was a poet and writer who documented the plight of Polish peasants under Prussian rule. His works were recognized for their nationalistic fervor and were pivotal in the cultural preservation of Polish identity. Another prominent figure, Józef Zientarski, who lived from 1854 to 1922, was a distinguished physician and public health advocate in Warsaw. His medical practice and public health campaigns were instrumental in improving living conditions in the city.
Moving into the 20th century, the name continues to be associated with significant personalities. One such example is Tadeusz Zientarski, an influential artist born in 1898, whose works were exhibited widely in Europe and who played a crucial role in the interwar Polish art movement. His paintings often depicted the landscapes of rural Poland and were celebrated for their emotive and nationalist qualities.
Throughout history, the surname Zientarski has been borne by individuals who contributed significantly to Polish society, culture, and governance. The name’s roots in kinship terminology and its association with noble titles provide a fascinating glimpse into the social structures and cultural dynamics of historical Poland. The legacy of the Zientarski name reflects the enduring importance of family, place, and societal roles in shaping individual and collective identities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zientarski
Among Census respondents with the surname Zientarski, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Zientarski 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 Zientarski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 112
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zientarski
Zientarski 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,971 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-7 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,797 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 12,971 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 7,797 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 Zientarski 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 | #140,157 | #147,954 | -5.6% |
| Count | 119 | 112 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zientarski bearers went from 119 to 112 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 7,797 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,954.
FAQ
Zientarski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zientarski?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Zientarski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Zientarski?
Zientarski ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Zientarski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Zientarski.
Has Zientarski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zientarski went from 119 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Zientarski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zientarski, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Zientarski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zientarski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Zientarski (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 Zientarski mean?
A Polish surname derived from the name "Zientarz", meaning someone from the region or town of Zientar. 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 Zientarski (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 Americans have the surname Zientarski?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.