Explore the Family Name Polak
The meaning of Polak
1. Polish and Jewish (Ashkenazic); Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian (Polák, Slovak also Poľák): ethnic name for someone from Poland (Polish Polak, Slovak archaic and Czech Polák). In the case of the Ashkenazic name, the reference is to a Jew from Poland. This surname is also found in Germany, where it is also of Sorbian origin (see 3 below), and in the Netherlands. Compare Poliak, Poljak, and Polyak. 2. Slovenian and Croatian: topographic name for someone who lived in open country, derived from polje ‘field’, or a habitational name for someone from any of numerous places called Polje, named with this word. It may also be e.g. an occupational name for a field guard (see Poljak). 3. Sorbian (also Pólak): topographic name derived from Lower Sorbian pólo, Upper Sorbian polo ‘field’ (compare 2 above). In some cases also an ethnic name for a Pole (compare 1 above), from Lower Sorbian Pólak, Upper Sorbian Polak. 4. Possibly also an Americanized form of Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian, and Slovak Poljak. Compare Polack and Pollak. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Miroslaw, Zbigniew, Boguslawa, Dorota, Jacek, Andrzej, Bogdan, Eugeniusz, Grzegorz, Irena, Jerzy, Jozef.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Polak in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Polak has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 to 2010. The rank of the surname moved from 9916 to 9780, indicating an expansion in its usage by 1.37 percent. In terms of count, there was a noticeable growth of over 10 percent, increasing from 3002 in 2000 to 3313 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a marginal rise of 0.9 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,916 | #9,780 | 1.37% |
| Count | 3,002 | 3,313 | 10.36% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.11 | 1.12 | 0.9% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Polak
When it comes to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting changes between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Polak bearers who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander increased significantly by 157.45 percent, though they still represent just 1.21 percent of all Polaks. Those identifying with two or more races also grew by 43.01 percent. However, those identifying as white decreased by 3.70 percent, but still make up the vast majority at 93.45 percent. Hispanic representation doubled from 1.33 percent to 2.69 percent. New groups appeared in the 2010 data, with Black representation at 1.03 percent and American Indian and Alaskan Native at 0.30 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.04% | 93.45% | -3.7% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 2.69% | 102.26% |
| Two or More Races | 0.93% | 1.33% | 43.01% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 1.21% | 157.45% |
| Black | 0% | 1.03% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.3% | 0% |
Polak 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 Polak is Eastern European, which comprises 44.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (18.6%) and French & German (17.4%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Eastern European | 44.2% |
| British & Irish | 18.6% |
| French & German | 17.4% |
| Other | 19.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Polak
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 Polak have recent ancestry locations in Poland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Masovian Voivodeship, Poland | 69.40% |
| Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland | 67.70% |
| Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland | 64.50% |
| Silesian Voivodeship, Poland | 56.50% |
| Lublin Voivodeship, Poland | 56.50% |
What Polak 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 Polak is O-F2415, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-F2415 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include E-M183 and O-F2859, which are predominantly found among people with European and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Polak surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Cham
One of the many populations harboring members of haplogroup O1b1a1a1a1 is the Cham ethnic group, a group of people who speak Austronesian languages in Mainland Southeast Asia. Austronesian languages make up a language family that is extremely large and widespread, comprising over 350 million people on islands such as Madagascar, Easter Island, and many others. However, Austronesian languages are less common on mainland Asia, with a notable exception being the Chamic language. Research suggests that ancestors of the Cham people migrated from Southeast Asian islands to the mainland around the year 500 BCE, and that early Cham populations quickly began mixing with indigenous southern Vietnamese populations. As a result, the Chamic language now has words that were borrowed from languages spoken by indigenous Vietnamese people. It is likely that an ancestral Kinh population was one of the populations that mixed with the Cham people shortly after their migration to mainland Asia.
Your 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 Polak 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.
"Polak" Surname 37.5%
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.
"Polak" Surname 35.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Polak" Surname 37.5%
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.
"Polak" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Polak?
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 Polak are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition