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

Zubke, 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 Zubke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zubke in America

Zubke is the 52736th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zubke surname appeared 393 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 Zubke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zubke 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 Zubke

The surname Zubke originates from Eastern Europe, with particular ties to Poland and neighboring Slavic countries. The earliest traces of the surname can be found in Poland, dating back to the late Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old Polish word "zubr," which means "bison." The suffix "ke" is a diminutive or a patronymic ending, indicating "son of" or "descendant of," which was a common naming practice in Slavic regions. Therefore, Zubke could be interpreted to mean "descendant of the bison," and may have originally been a nickname for someone with great strength or qualities reminiscent of the animal.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Zubke appears in 15th-century Polish records, particularly in rural areas known for their forests and wildlife. An old manuscript from 1468 mentions a Jan Zubke of Greater Poland, indicating that the name was well established by this time and linked to individuals of considerable local repute. As with many surnames of the period, the spelling varied significantly before becoming standardized. Variants such as Zubka, Zubko, and Zubkow were also common.

Moving into the 16th and 17th centuries, the Zubke name appears intermittently in regional tax records and land grants. One notable figure from the late 16th century is Piotr Zubke, born in 1574, who served as an advisor to a noble family in Lesser Poland. Documented in a 1599 land transaction, Piotr's status indicates the family's ascending social mobility during this period.

In the early 18th century, records from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth make mention of Katarzyna Zubke, born in 1702, who was noted for her role in local affairs and church activities in the Mazovian region. Katarzyna's presence in ecclesiastical records suggests the family's involvement in both civic and religious communities.

During the 19th century, the Zubke name began to appear beyond the borders of Poland, as waves of emigration took families to new lands. One prominent emigrant, Stanislaw Zubke, born in 1833, emigrated to the United States and became involved in the burgeoning Polish-American communities in the Midwest. He played a significant role in establishing Polish cultural institutions in Chicago, as noted in an 1884 community ledger.

The surname continued to hold significance into the early 20th century. Another influential figure was Maria Zubke, born in 1885, who was a notable writer and activist in the Polish independence movement. Her work is documented in several early 20th-century publications and her contributions are well remembered in historical texts discussing Polish nationalism.

Throughout history, the Zubke surname reflects a rich heritage linked to the natural world, social ascension, and historical significance within Poland and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zubke

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

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

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

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