Explore the Family Name Polka
The meaning of Polka
1. Czech, Slovak, and Polish: from Polka (Slovak Poľka), an ethnic name denoting a woman from Poland (compare Polak). 2. Polish: from a pet form of the female personal name Apolonia. 3. Polish (Połka): from a pet form of a personal name, such as Świętopołk and Przedpołk, based on Old Slavic plъkъ ‘crowd, army’. The surname is used almost exclusively in central part of Greater Poland Voivodeship. 4. East German (of Slavic origin): variant of Polke.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Polka in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Polka" has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname dropped from 33,020 in 2000 to 35,345 in 2010, marking a change of -7.04 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also decreased from 654 to 637 during this time period, showing a decrease of 2.6 percent. The proportion of people with the Polka surname per 100,000 also reflected this downward trend, falling by 8.33 percent from 0.24 to 0.22.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,020 | #35,345 | -7.04% |
| Count | 654 | 637 | -2.6% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.24 | 0.22 | -8.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Polka
The same Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the Polka surname. The proportion of individuals identifying as White remained largely consistent, decreasing slightly from 95.26 percent in 2000 to 95.13 percent in 2010. The count of those identifying as Black dropped to zero in 2010, while no changes were recorded for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander. However, the proportion of individuals claiming multiple ethnic identities increased significantly by 41.80 percent from 1.22 to 1.73, matching the increase in individuals identifying as Hispanic. Moreover, the 2010 data introduced a new category, with 0.78 percent of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native. This category was not represented in the 2000 data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.26% | 95.13% | -0.14% |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 1.73% | 41.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.22% | 1.73% | 41.8% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.78% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 1.22% | 0% | 0% |