2000
#131,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zuraski
A surname of Polish origin meaning "from Zura".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Zuraski. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zuraski 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Zuraski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuraski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zuraski
The surname Zuraski is believed to have its origins in Poland, where it can be traced back to medieval times. The name likely derives from the Polish word "żur," meaning "crane" (the bird), combined with the possessive suffix "-ski," which denotes belonging or origin. This formation suggests that the original bearers of the surname may have lived near areas where cranes were commonly found, or it could indicate a nickname related to the bird's characteristics.
Zuraski appears in various historical references and records. One of the oldest known mentions is from the 14th century, where variations of the name were noted in ecclesiastical documents in the region of Masovia, a historical area in east-central Poland. The name underwent several orthographic changes before settling into its modern form. During this period, surnames were becoming more formalized, and many Polish surnames adopted the "-ski" suffix, indicating nobility or origin from a particular place or family.
The first recorded example of the name in its present form dates back to the 16th century in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, an area in northeastern Poland. Records from 1524 mention a Piotr Zuraski, a landowner who was part of the lesser nobility. These early mentions of the name are tied to landownership and local governance, common among Polish surnames of the time.
Throughout history, there have been notable individuals with the surname Zuraski. Jan Zuraski, born in 1602 and died in 1675, was a renowned herbalist and healer whose works influenced early Polish herbal medicine. His collection of herbal remedies and treatments, compiled in 1650, is still referenced in historical studies on traditional Polish medicine.
Another significant figure is Katarzyna Zuraska, an 18th-century poet and playwright, born in 1711 and died in 1784. She was one of the few female writers of her time who gained recognition for her literary contributions, with her works exploring themes of love, nature, and Polish identity.
In the 19th century, Antoni Zuraski, born in 1823 and died in 1891, played a key role in the January Uprising (1863-1864) against Russian rule. His efforts as a military leader and strategist were crucial in several battles, and his legacy is remembered in Polish history as a symbol of resistance and patriotism.
The name also appears in the 20th century with figures such as Maria Zuraska, born in 1895 and died in 1970, a respected educator and author who focused on improving the Polish educational system. Her contributions to pedagogy and her published works on educational reform had a lasting impact on Polish school curricula.
Lastly, Tadeusz Zuraski, a mathematician born in 1903 and who died in 1962, made significant strides in the field of statistical mathematics. His research during the mid-20th century provided foundational theories that advanced the field, and his publications are still cited in academic circles today.
The surname Zuraski, steeped in history and cultural significance, represents a lineage of individuals who have contributed to various fields and upheld the cultural heritage of Poland. Each bearer's story reflects a part of the broader narrative of Polish history and identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zuraski
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuraski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zuraski 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 Zuraski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zuraski
Zuraski 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
+15 bearers (+12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 3,872 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-14 bearers (-10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,555 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #131,366 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | +15 bearers (+12.6%) | Up 3,872 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.4%) | Down 14,555 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 Zuraski 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 | #142,049 | -11.4% |
| Count | 134 | 120 | -10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zuraski bearers went from 134 to 120 (-10.4% change). The surname moved down 14,555 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #142,049.
FAQ
Zuraski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zuraski?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Zuraski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Zuraski?
Zuraski ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Zuraski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Zuraski.
Has Zuraski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zuraski went from 134 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 14 (-10.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Zuraski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuraski, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (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 Zuraski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zuraski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (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 Zuraski (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 Zuraski mean?
A surname of Polish origin meaning "from Zura". 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 Zuraski (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 Zuraski?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Zuraski is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.