Podgorelec families are Croats and they are mostly from Mursko Sredisce area. In the past century, relatively most of Croatian residents bearing this family name were born in Cakovec and in Mursko Sredisce area. In Lapšina in Mursko Sredisce area every sixth inhabitant had the family name Podgorelec.
Prevalence
About 240 people with faimily name Podgorelec live in Croatia today, in 100 households. There were 270 of them in the middle of the past century, and their number decreased by 10 percent. They are located in the most of Croatian counties, in 11 cities and 43 other places, mostly in Zagreb (25), Cakovec (25), in Sveti Martin na Muri (15) and Jurovec (10) in Mursko Sredisce area, and in Brezje in Cakovec area (10).
Outside Croatia
Family name Podgorelec is present in 8 countries on two continents.
In the sources analysed in the project Acta Croatica so far, the name is mentioned few times, the first time 1927 in source Emigration Commission Zagreb.