Explore the Family Name Zalesky

The meaning of Zalesky

1. Czech and Slovak (Záleský): topographic name for someone who lived ‘on the other side of the forest’, from za ‘beyond’ + les ‘forest’, with the addition of the surname suffix -ský; or a habitational name for someone from Zálesie in Slovakia, a placename derived from the words za and les. 2. Altered form of Polish Zaleski or Załęski. 3. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Zaleski 2. This is also a variant transliteration of the Ukrainian and Belorussian cognate Zalessky. Compare Salesky.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Zalesky in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Zalesky" has seen a slight decrease in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. Ranked at 48,021 in 2000, it slipped to 51,066 by 2010, marking a 6.34% drop in its rank. Similarly, the count of individuals carrying this surname also decreased from 414 to 408, a reduction of approximately 1.45%. The proportion per 100k population also showed a decline of around 6.67%, from 0.15 to 0.14.

20002010Change
Rank#48,021#51,066-6.34%
Count414408-1.45%
Proportion per 100k0.150.14-6.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zalesky

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that most bearers of the Zalesky surname identify as White, although there was a very minor decrease of 1.31% in this demographic between 2000 and 2010. During the same period, the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic rose significantly by 26.94%, albeit from a relatively small base of 1.93% in 2000. No Zaleskys identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either 2000 or 2010. The category of Two or more races, which had a nominal presence in 2000, disappeared completely by 2010.

20002010Change
White96.86%95.59%-1.31%
Hispanic1.93%2.45%26.94%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races1.21%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%