Explore the Family Name Belka
The meaning of Belka
1. Polish: nickname for a tall, upright man, from belka ‘beam, timber’. 2. Czech (Bělka) and Slovak: from a pet form of the female personal name Czech Běla, Slovak Biela meaning ‘white’, or possibly a nickname from Czech bělka, Slovak belka ‘animal with white or whitish hair’. 3. Sorbian (Bělka, B’elka): from a pet form of the Biblical personal name Abel, or a nickname derived from běły ‘white, bright, fair’. Compare Belke, Bielke, Boehlke, and Boelke. 4. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from a pet form of the Yiddish female personal name Beyle, meaning ‘beautiful’ (related to French belle).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Belka in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Belka has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Belka was ranked as the 39,824th most popular surname, while in 2010, it slipped to the 40,144th position. This represents a minor decline of 0.8%. However, the actual count of individuals carrying the Belka surname increased by 5.2% from 519 people in 2000 to 546 in 2010. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people remained steady at 0.19.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,824 | #40,144 | -0.8% |
| Count | 519 | 546 | 5.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Belka
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Belka also underwent some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of Belka bearers identified as White, though the percentage decreased slightly from 97.69% in 2000 to 96.15% in 2010. There was a small emergence of diversity within the Belka surname bearers over this period, with both Black and those identifying as two or more races making up 1.10% each of the total in 2010. Additionally, there was a minimal Hispanic representation of 0.92%. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native identifying with the surname Belka remained constant at 0% for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.69% | 96.15% | -1.58% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.1% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 1.1% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0.92% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.96% | 0% | 0% |