Explore the Family Name Malek
The meaning of Malek
1. Polish (Małek); Czech (Málek); Slovak (also Málek); Slovenian and Croatian: nickname for a physically small man, derived from Polish mały, Czech and Slovak malý, Slovenian and Croatian mal(i) ‘small, little’. This surname is a cognate of Malec and Malik. As a Slovenian surname it can also be derived from malek ‘small man, dwarf’. The surname of Czech origin is also found in Croatia. Compare Mallek. 2. Czech: from a pet form of the personal names beginning with Ma-, e.g. Matěj (from Latin Matthias; see Matej) or Martin. 3. Polish (Małek): from a pet form of the Old Polish personal name Małomir, based on Old Slavic malъ ‘small, little’. 4. Muslim and Assyrian/Chaldean: variant of Malik. Some characteristic forenames: Arabic/Muslim Abdul, Ahmad, Mohammed, Hani, Mansour, Mehrdad, Mohammad, Nabil, Shahram, Ali, Hany, Maged. Polish Eugeniusz, Kazimierz, Stanislaw, Wladyslaw, Andrzej, Bronislawa, Danuta, Halina, Henryk, Jadwiga, Jerzy, Mieczyslaw.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Malek in the United States?
The surname Malek, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has slightly decreased in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, Malek was ranked 6938 out of all surnames, dropping to a rank of 7008 by 2010. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual number of individuals with the surname Malek increased by 7.2% during this period, from 4459 to 4780. However, when looking at the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a slight decrease of -1.82%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,938 | #7,008 | -1.01% |
| Count | 4,459 | 4,780 | 7.2% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.65 | 1.62 | -1.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Malek
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows a shift between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander with the surname Malek grew significantly from 3.92% to 6.17%, an increase of 57.4%. Those identifying as Black also saw a substantial increase, from 0.92% to 2.03%. Meanwhile, individuals with the Malek surname who identified as White saw a small decrease from 89.37% to 86.67%. The percentage of individuals of Hispanic ethnicity rose from 1.57% to 2.20%, while those identifying as having two or more races decreased from 4.10% to 2.78%. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a slight increase from 0.11% to 0.15%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.37% | 86.67% | -3.02% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.92% | 6.17% | 57.4% |
| Two or More Races | 4.1% | 2.78% | -32.2% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.2% | 40.13% |
| Black | 0.92% | 2.03% | 120.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.11% | 0.15% | 36.36% |
Malek ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Malek is Eastern European, which comprises 21.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian (20.7%) and British & Irish (15.2%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Ashkenazi Jewish, Coptic Egyptian, Levantine, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Eastern European | 21.7% |
| Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian | 20.7% |
| British & Irish | 15.2% |
| Other | 42.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Malek
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Malek have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 39.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 39.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 39.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 38.20% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 37.50% |
What Malek haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Malek is R-CTS3402, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS3402 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include E-M5021 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Zack, Korn, Baran, Hasan, Schwartz, Weiss, Simon, Haber, Frank, Bosco.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Malek surname are: N, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Malek have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Malek" Surname 34.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Malek" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Malek" Surname 28.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Malek" Surname 16.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Malek?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Malek are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition