Find out how popular the last name Iltis is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Iltis.

Iltis, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Iltis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iltis in America

Iltis is the 96368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iltis surname appeared 189 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Iltis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iltis to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Iltis

The surname ILTIS is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Middle High German word "ilt" or "ilte," which means "polecat" or "ferret." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon someone who exhibited characteristics akin to these animals, such as cunning or stealthiness.

The earliest recorded instances of the ILTIS surname can be found in historical documents from the 13th century in regions like Saxony, Bavaria, and Swabia. The name was likely used as a descriptive nickname before becoming an inherited surname.

In the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical records from the Anhalt region, there is a mention of a Johannes Iltis in the year 1298. This is one of the earliest documented uses of the surname.

During the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Iltiß, Iltiss, and Iltus, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time.

One notable bearer of the ILTIS surname was Johann Iltis (1540-1622), a German astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He served as a court astronomer to the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II.

Another prominent figure was Christoph Iltis (1625-1689), a German composer and organist who worked in the Baroque era. He is known for his sacred works and instrumental compositions.

In the 19th century, Karl Iltis (1813-1879) was a German botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of South America, particularly in Brazil. He made valuable contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and biogeography.

The ILTIS surname can also be found in historical records from Austria, where it was sometimes spelled as Iltsch or Iltzsch. One notable Austrian bearer of the name was Franz Iltis (1837-1912), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Austrian Imperial Council.

While the ILTIS surname has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its earliest recorded instances and historical significance can be traced back to the medieval and early modern periods in German-speaking regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iltis

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Iltis.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Iltis was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Iltis has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Iltis was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Iltis, please contact us.

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