2000
#20,727
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,186
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.44
Rare Last name
Butkus
A Lithuanian surname derived from the word "butkus", meaning barn or shed.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,299 Americans carry the last name Butkus. That puts it at #23,166 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 263,860 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Butkus 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Butkus with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.3K
1 in 263,860
Census rank
#23,166
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,133 bearers of the surname Butkus in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23166th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Butkus, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Butkus
The surname Butkus originates from Lithuania, and it has its roots in the Lithuanian language. The name is derived from the Lithuanian word "butas," which means "house" or "dwelling." It is believed that the name Butkus was initially given to individuals who lived in a particular type of house or to those who were associated with the construction or maintenance of houses.
In the early centuries, surnames were often descriptive, reflecting a person's occupation, physical characteristics, or place of residence. The suffix "-us" is a common ending for Lithuanian surnames, indicating a patronymic or a possessive form. Therefore, Butkus can be translated as "one belonging to the house" or "one associated with the house."
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Butkus can be found in historical documents dating back to the 16th century in Lithuania. One of the earliest known references to the name is in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania's tax records from the late 16th century, where several individuals with the surname Butkus were listed as taxpayers.
During the Renaissance period, the name Butkus appeared in various Lithuanian manuscripts and chronicles. For example, in the 17th century, a Lithuanian scholar named Jonas Butkus authored a book on Lithuanian grammar and linguistics, contributing to the preservation of the Lithuanian language and culture.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Butkus was Antanas Butkus (1593-1644), a Lithuanian nobleman and military commander who served in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army. He participated in several wars against Sweden and Russia, earning recognition for his bravery and leadership.
Another prominent figure with the surname Butkus was Motiejus Butkus (1801-1868), a Lithuanian writer, poet, and educator. He played a significant role in the Lithuanian National Revival movement, promoting Lithuanian literature and education. His works, such as "Žemaičių Raštas" (The Writings of Samogitians), are considered important contributions to Lithuanian culture.
In the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Butkus was Dick Butkus (born 1942), an American professional football player. He was a legendary linebacker for the Chicago Bears and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. His fierce playing style and defensive dominance earned him the nickname "The Monster of the Midway."
Lastly, Darius Butkus (born 1967) is a Lithuanian chess grandmaster and former world junior chess champion. He has represented Lithuania in numerous international chess competitions and has made significant contributions to the development of chess in his home country.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Butkus who have left their mark in various fields throughout history, from military service and literature to sports and chess.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Butkus
Among Census respondents with the surname Butkus, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Butkus 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 Butkus surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.7% · 1,062
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 43
- Two or more races1.9% · 22
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 3
- Black or African American0.2% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Butkus
Butkus 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
#22,281
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,157
-29 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.39
Rank movement Down 1,554 places
2020
#23,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,133
-24 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Down 885 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,727 | 1,186 | 0.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,281 | 1,157 | 0.39 | -29 bearers (-2.4%) | Down 1,554 places |
| 2020 | #23,166 | 1,133 | 0.38 | -24 bearers (-2.1%) | Down 885 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 Butkus 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 | #22,281 | #23,166 | -4.0% |
| Count | 1,157 | 1,133 | -2.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.39 | 0.38 | -2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Butkus bearers went from 1,157 to 1,133 (-2.1% change). The surname moved down 885 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,281 to #23,166.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Butkus
FAQ
Butkus surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Butkus?
Name Census estimates that about 1,299 living Americans carry the surname Butkus. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 263,860 residents.
How common is Butkus?
Butkus ranks #23,166 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.38 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 1,133 people with the surname Butkus. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,299), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.38 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 Butkus.
Has Butkus become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Butkus went from 1,157 recorded bearers to 1,133. That is a decrease of 24 (-2.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #22,281 to #23,166.
What does the Census say about the background of Butkus?
Among Census respondents with the surname Butkus, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Butkus in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.7% (1,062 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Butkus appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.7%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Butkus (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 Butkus mean?
A Lithuanian surname derived from the word "butkus", meaning barn or shed. 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 Butkus (0.38 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 have the surname Butkus?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.