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

Zlotnik, 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 Zlotnik surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zlotnik in America

Zlotnik is the 77788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zlotnik surname appeared 246 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 Zlotnik.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zlotnik 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 Zlotnik

The surname Zlotnik has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically from the regions that are now part of Poland and the western parts of Ukraine. The root of the name can be traced back to the Polish and Yiddish word "złoto," which means gold. The suffix "nik" is a Slavic diminutive or occupational indicator, implying a person who works with or deals with gold. Hence, Zlotnik would historically signify a goldsmith or someone involved in the gold trade.

The surname first started to appear in medieval records around the 14th to 15th centuries when surnames became more common as a means of identification. In Poland, records from the early 1400s make notable mention of individuals bearing this name, often in connection to their trade or craft. While not featured in well-known registers like the Domesday Book, Polish records indicate the Zlotnik family as prominent guild members in Kraków and other trade hubs.

One of the earliest recorded Zlotniks was Jan Zlotnik, a goldsmith mentioned in the records of Kraków around 1425. His work was well-documented due to its quality and because he was a member of the Goldsmith Guild of Kraków. The city's municipal archives hold several mentions of Jan's transactions and guild memberships, reflecting his respected status.

Throughout the centuries, there are several notable individuals with the surname Zlotnik. Isaac Zlotnik, born in 1724, was a renowned Jewish scholar in Vilnius, contributing significantly to Talmudic studies and Jewish literature of the time. His works were circulated widely, and his surname appears in many scholarly references from the 18th century.

In the early 19th century, we find another notable bearer in Solomon Zlotnik, born in 1801, who was a prominent merchant in Lviv (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). He was well-known for his trade in precious metals and stones, continuing the family tradition. His business dealings were extensively recorded in city ledgers and trade documents.

Marie Zlotnik, born in 1867 in Warsaw, achieved distinction as an early female pioneer in the medical field. She graduated from the University of Zurich, one of the few institutions admitting women at the time, and later returned to Poland, where she made significant contributions to pediatric medicine and founded several clinics.

By the late 19th to early 20th century, the name found its way to the United States with Jewish immigrants escaping persecution in Eastern Europe. David Zlotnik, born in 1888, immigrated to New York in the early 1900s and made a name for himself as a social activist and labor organizer. His leadership in labor movements during the early 20th century is well-documented in American labor history.

The surname Zlotnik has thus marked its presence through centuries, often associated with individuals deeply engaged in trade, craftsmanship, scholarship, and social activism, reflecting a rich and varied history rooted in its European origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zlotnik

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

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

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

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