Explore the Family Name Rusak
The meaning of Rusak
1. Polish, Ukrainian, Belorussian, and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): ethnic or habitational name from Polish rusak ‘Ukrainian’, East Slavic rusak ‘Russian’. The name derives ultimately from a Scandinavian term meaning ‘rower, oarsman’, the Russian state having been first established in the 9th century by Varangian (i.e. Norse) settlers who rowed up the rivers from the Baltic. 2. Polish, Ukrainian, Belorussian, and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): nickname from an East Slavic word meaning ‘light brown’, with allusion to the coloring of hair or skin (compare Polish archaic rusy, Ukrainian and Russian rusyy). 3. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): habitational name from Rusaki, in Belarus. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Andrzej, Henryk.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rusak in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Rusak has seen a slight decline in rank from 2000 to 2010, moving from 53,420th to 55,255th, a shift of -3.44%. However, despite this drop in rank, the number of people bearing the Rusak surname actually increased during this time frame, rising from 363 in 2000 to 372 in 2010, an increase of 2.48%. The proportion per 100,000 people remained stable at 0.13, signifying that the surname's prevalence did not change significantly within the overall population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #53,420 | #55,255 | -3.44% |
| Count | 363 | 372 | 2.48% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rusak
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that those bearing the Rusak surname are overwhelmingly White, with 98.62% identifying as such in 2000 and 98.12% in 2010. Over this decade, there was a very slight decrease of -0.51% in the proportion of White individuals with this surname. The census data for other ethnic identities including Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native was either zero or suppressed for privacy reasons. Notably, there was an appearance of individuals identifying as Hispanic between 2000 and 2010, accounting for 1.34% of people with the surname Rusak in the latter year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 98.62% | 98.12% | -0.51% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.34% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |