2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chitko
A surname of Ukrainian origin indicating someone who was a quiet, serene person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Chitko. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chitko 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Chitko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chitko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chitko
The surname Chitko is believed to have originated in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, particularly in present-day Ukraine and Russia. The name is derived from the Slavic word "chitka," which means "reader" or "one who reads." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who were literate and could read or interpret texts, possibly serving as scribes or clerks in religious or secular institutions.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Chitko can be found in the Velyki Knyhy, a collection of official documents and records from the Kyivan Rus' period (9th-13th centuries). These records contain references to individuals bearing the name, indicating its presence in the region during that time.
During the Middle Ages, the Chitko name appeared in various historical documents and manuscripts, particularly those related to ecclesiastical affairs. For instance, a monk named Fyodor Chitko is mentioned in the annals of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a prominent Orthodox Christian monastery in Kyiv, in the 15th century.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Ivan Chitko served as a scribe and secretary to Ivan the Terrible, the Grand Prince of Moscow. His meticulous record-keeping and literary skills were highly valued at the time, and his name appears in several official documents from that era.
Another prominent individual bearing the Chitko surname was Hryhoriy Chitko, a Ukrainian Cossack leader and military commander who fought against Polish-Lithuanian forces in the mid-17th century. His exploits were documented in chronicles and folk tales, contributing to the recognition of the name among the Cossack population.
In the 18th century, a Russian writer and poet named Nikolai Chitko gained recognition for his satirical works and poetic contributions to the literature of his time. His birth and death dates are recorded as 1728-1809, and he is considered one of the notable literary figures associated with the surname.
As the Chitko name spread across Eastern Europe, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, such as Chytko, Czytko, and Chitka. These variations can be found in historical records from different regions and time periods, reflecting the linguistic diversity and cultural influences within the Slavic territories.
While the surname Chitko has roots in Eastern Europe, over time it has become more widespread and can be found in various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply connected to the Slavic regions and the rich cultural heritage of that area.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chitko
Among Census respondents with the surname Chitko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chitko 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 Chitko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.0% · 98
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chitko
Chitko appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 774 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 774 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 Chitko 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 | #156,044 | #155,270 | 0.5% |
| Count | 104 | 101 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chitko bearers went from 104 to 101 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 774 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #155,270.
FAQ
Chitko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chitko?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Chitko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Chitko?
Chitko ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Chitko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Chitko.
Has Chitko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chitko went from 104 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Chitko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chitko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Black (1.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Chitko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.0% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chitko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.0%), Black (1.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Chitko (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 Chitko mean?
A surname of Ukrainian origin indicating someone who was a quiet, serene person. 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 Chitko (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Chitko?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.