2000
#30,161
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 733
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.27
Very Rare Last name
Spacek
A locational surname derived from the Czech word "spáč" meaning sleeper or inhabitant of a small village.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 772 Americans carry the last name Spacek. That puts it at #35,883 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 443,982 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Spacek surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
772
1 in 443,982
Census rank
#35,883
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
673
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 673 bearers of the surname Spacek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 35883rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Spacek, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Spacek
The surname Spacek originates from the Czech Republic, with records indicating its presence as early as the 12th century. It is derived from the Czech word "spacek," meaning a hermit or recluse. The name likely referred to someone who lived a solitary or secluded life, possibly in a remote area or as a religious ascetic.
The earliest recorded instance of the Spacek surname can be found in a document from the Vyšehrad Codex, a medieval manuscript dating back to 1088. This codex contains various legal records and documents from that era, suggesting that the name was already in use among the Czech population.
During the Middle Ages, the Spacek name appeared in various regional records and chronicles from the Kingdom of Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. It was particularly prevalent in the areas around Prague and the surrounding regions, where many families bearing this surname resided.
One notable individual with the Spacek surname was Jan Spacek (1592-1644), a Bohemian Protestant pastor and theologian. He was a prominent figure during the Hussite religious movement and was known for his writings and sermons advocating for religious reform.
Another historical figure with this surname was Vaclav Spacek (1748-1813), a Czech painter and engraver who was renowned for his religious and landscape works. His paintings can be found in various churches and galleries throughout the Czech Republic.
In the 19th century, the Spacek name gained recognition with the birth of Karel Spacek (1845-1912), a Czech architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and landmarks in Prague, including the Rudolfinum Concert Hall and the National Museum.
Moving into the 20th century, Jindrich Spacek (1899-1972) was a Czech filmmaker and screenwriter who made significant contributions to the development of Czechoslovak cinema during the early years of the country's independence.
Another prominent figure with this surname was Jiri Spacek (1927-2012), a Czech actor and theater director. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Czech theater scene, having directed numerous productions and performed in various films throughout his career.
While the Spacek surname has its roots firmly planted in the Czech Republic, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and global mobility. However, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in the region that is now the Czech Republic, where it was likely initially used to denote someone who lived a solitary or reclusive lifestyle.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Spacek
Among Census respondents with the surname Spacek, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Spacek bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Spacek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 621
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 26
- Two or more races2.4% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 6
- Black or African American0.3% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Spacek
Spacek appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#32,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 712
-21 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Down 2,178 places
2020
#35,883
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 673
-39 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Down 3,544 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #30,161 | 733 | 0.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #32,339 | 712 | 0.24 | -21 bearers (-2.9%) | Down 2,178 places |
| 2020 | #35,883 | 673 | 0.23 | -39 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 3,544 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Spacek surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,339 | #35,883 | -11.0% |
| Count | 712 | 673 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.23 | -6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Spacek bearers went from 712 to 673 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 3,544 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,339 to #35,883.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Spacek
FAQ
Spacek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Spacek?
Name Census estimates that about 772 living Americans carry the surname Spacek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 443,982 residents.
How common is Spacek?
Spacek ranks #35,883 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 673 people with the surname Spacek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (772), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.23 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Spacek.
Has Spacek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Spacek went from 712 recorded bearers to 673. That is a decrease of 39 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #32,339 to #35,883.
What does the Census say about the background of Spacek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Spacek, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.9%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Spacek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (621 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Spacek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Hispanic (3.9%), Two or More Races (2.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Spacek (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Spacek mean?
A locational surname derived from the Czech word "spáč" meaning sleeper or inhabitant of a small village. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Spacek (0.23 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Spacek?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Spacek on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.