NameCensus.

UK surname

Szymczak

A Polish surname derived from the personal name Szymon, meaning "listener" or "one who hears".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Corby, Lincoln and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Szymczak is 359 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

2016

359 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Szymczak surname distribution map

The map shows where the Szymczak surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Szymczak surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Szymczak over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1997 modern 56 #32,004
1998 modern 60 #31,931
1999 modern 64 #31,692
2000 modern 56 #32,514
2001 modern 56 #32,379
2002 modern 53 #33,021
2003 modern 59 #32,530
2004 modern 61 #32,581
2005 modern 80 #30,842
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 193 #19,077
2009 modern 227 #17,544
2010 modern 262 #16,252
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 313 #14,095
2013 modern 330 #13,777
2014 modern 348 #13,320
2015 modern 346 #13,284
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Szymczaks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Corby, Lincoln, Sheffield, St Albans and Sandwell. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Corby 009 Corby
2 Lincoln 006 Lincoln
3 Sheffield 023 Sheffield
4 St Albans 016 St Albans
5 Sandwell 030 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Szymczak

These lists show first names that appear often with the Szymczak surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Szymczak

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Szymczak, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Szymczak surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Szymczak household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Szymczak is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Szymczak is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Szymczak falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Szymczak is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Szymczak, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Szymczak

The surname Szymczak has its origins in Poland, dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Polish word "szymek," which translates to "little Simon." This suggests that the name may have originally been a diminutive form or nickname for someone named Simon.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Polish records and documents, often referring to individuals from the regions of Greater Poland and Silesia. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jan Szymczak, a landowner from the town of Gniezno, mentioned in a 1387 record.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name appears to have spread across various parts of Poland, with variations in spelling such as Szymczyk, Szymczyk, and Szymsczak. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation and transliteration.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence in the region of Wielkopolska, where a notable figure named Jakub Szymczak (1623-1688) served as a respected judge and legal scholar. His contributions to Polish jurisprudence were documented in several historical texts of the time.

Another notable bearer of the name was Tomasz Szymczak (1780-1849), a Polish military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent landowner in the Mazovian region. His military exploits and landholdings were recorded in various contemporary accounts.

In the 19th century, the name appeared in literary works, with a character named Franciszek Szymczak featuring in the novel "The Deluge" by Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916), winner of the 1905 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Other historical figures with the Szymczak surname include the Polish painter and graphic artist Tadeusz Szymczak (1900-1983), whose works are preserved in several museums, and the Polish chess player Wladyslaw Szymczak (1908-1981), who represented Poland in international tournaments.

While the name Szymczak is predominantly Polish in origin, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of Eastern Europe, particularly in areas with historical Polish influences or migrations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Szymczak surname: questions and answers

How common is the Szymczak surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Szymczak a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Szymczak surname mean?

A Polish surname derived from the personal name Szymon, meaning "listener" or "one who hears".

What does the Szymczak map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Szymczak bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.