Explore the Family Name Michalak
The meaning of Michalak
Polish: patronymic from the personal name Michał (see Michal). Some characteristic forenames: Polish Casimir, Miroslaw, Agnieszka, Andrzej, Boleslaw, Iwona, Jacek, Janina, Jaromir, Krzysztof, Piotr, Zbigniew.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Michalak in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Michalak has seen a marginal decrease between 2000 and 2010. Ranked 8,092 in 2000, it slipped to 8,320 in 2010, marking a change of -2.82. However, the count or total number of people with the Michalak surname in the U.S. increased by 5.54%, from 3,774 in 2000 to 3,983 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 individuals saw a slight drop of -3.57, falling from 1.4 to 1.35.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,092 | #8,320 | -2.82% |
| Count | 3,774 | 3,983 | 5.54% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.4 | 1.35 | -3.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Michalak
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Michalak. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (97.46%), which decreased slightly to 96.01% by 2010. Over the same period, there was significant growth among those identifying as Hispanic (from 1.17% to 2.03%) and those identifying with two or more races (from 0.72% to 1.08%). There were also small increases in the Asian/Pacific Islander category (from 0.32% to 0.38%), and new appearances in 2010 of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories at 0.25%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.46% | 96.01% | -1.49% |
| Hispanic | 1.17% | 2.03% | 73.5% |
| Two or More Races | 0.72% | 1.08% | 50% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.32% | 0.38% | 18.75% |
| Black | 0% | 0.25% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.25% | 0% |
Michalak 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 Michalak is Eastern European, which comprises 45.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (24.6%) and French & German (16.3%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Eastern European | 45.1% |
| British & Irish | 24.6% |
| French & German | 16.3% |
| Other | 13.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Michalak
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 Michalak have recent ancestry locations in Poland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland | 68.50% |
| Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland | 67.70% |
| Masovian Voivodeship, Poland | 66.90% |
| Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland | 62.10% |
| Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland | 58.90% |
What Michalak 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 Michalak is R-L260, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L260 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include I-DF29 and E-CTS4231, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Jaworski, Dudek, Kwiatkowski, Zajac, Kovach, Nowakowski, Majewski, Hudak, Makowski, Zielinski.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Michalak surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Michalak 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.
"Michalak" Surname 40.0%
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.
"Michalak" Surname 41.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Michalak" Surname 56.7%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Michalak" Surname 15.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Michalak?
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 Michalak are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition