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Polak Family History

Polak Surname Meaning

Polish and Jewish (Ashkenazic); Czech Slovak and Hungarian (Polák Slovak also Poľák): ethnic name for someone from Poland (Polish Polak Slovak archaic and Czech Polák). In the case of the Ashkenazic name, the reference is to a Jew from Poland. This surname is also found in Germany, where it is also of Sorbian origin (see 3 below) and in the Netherlands.

Compare Poliak, Poljak, and Polyak. Slovenian and Croatian: topographic name for someone who lived in open country derived from polje ‘field’ or a habitational name for someone from any of numerous places called Polje, named with this word.

It may also be e.g. an occupational name for a field guard (see Poljak). Sorbian (also Pólak): topographic name derived from Lower Sorbian pólo and Upper Sorbian polo ‘field’ (compare 2 above).

In some cases, it is also an ethnic name for a Pole (compare 1 above) from Lower Sorbian Pólak and Upper Sorbian Polak. Possibly also an Americanized form of Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian, and Slovak Poljak.

Compare Polack and Pollak.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

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Where is the Polak family from?

You can see how Polak families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Polak family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Polak families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 22 Polak families living in Manitoba. This was about 88% of all the recorded Polak's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Polak families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Polak surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

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What Polak family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Polak. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Polak census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Polak. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Polak. For the veterans among your Polak ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Polak lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Polak life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Polak in 1953 was 42, and 71 in 2004.

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