Explore the Family Name Zelenak
The meaning of Zelenak
1. Slovak and Czech (Zelenák, Zeleňák, Zeleňak): nickname from zelený ‘green’ or from Slovak zeleň ‘green color’. See also Zelenka. 2. Americanized form of Slovenian Zelenjak: perhaps a nickname from dialect zelenjak ‘green woodpecker’, or else derived directly from zelen ‘green’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zelenak in the United States?
The surname Zelenak, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a slight decrease in popularity ranking between 2000 and 2010, moving from 27,207 to 27,452, a change of -0.9%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased by 5.02%, from 836 to 878. The proportion of individuals with the Zelenak surname per 100,000 also decreased slightly, by 3.23% from 0.31 to 0.3.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,207 | #27,452 | -0.9% |
| Count | 836 | 878 | 5.02% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.3 | -3.23% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zelenak
Considering ethnicity derived from the Decennial U.S. Census data, the majority of individuals with the Zelenak surname identify as White, though there was a minor decrease of 1.10% from 96.05% in 2000 to 94.99% in 2010. There's a significant increase in the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic, rising by 90.15% from 1.32% in 2000 to 2.51% in 2010. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased by 19.05% and those reporting two or more races saw a reduction of 5.13%. It should be noted that no individuals with the surname Zelenak identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.05% | 94.99% | -1.1% |
| Hispanic | 1.32% | 2.51% | 90.15% |
| Two or More Races | 1.56% | 1.48% | -5.13% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.84% | 0.68% | -19.05% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |