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

Keleta, 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 Keleta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keleta in America

Keleta is the 125282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keleta surname appeared 137 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 Keleta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keleta 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 Keleta

The surname Keleta has its origins in the Baltic region, specifically in present-day Lithuania. It can be traced back to the 14th century when variations of the name appeared in historical records. The name is believed to be derived from the Lithuanian word "keletas," which means "a few" or "several."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keleta can be found in the Metrica Regni Poloniae, a collection of documents from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth dating back to the 15th century. In this record, a certain Petras Keleta was mentioned as a landowner in the Vilnius region.

During the 16th century, the Keleta family gained prominence in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Mykolas Keleta (1510-1582) was a prominent military commander who served under several Grand Dukes of Lithuania and participated in various campaigns against the Teutonic Knights and the Muscovite forces.

In the 17th century, the name Keleta appeared in the Kaunas region of Lithuania, where a small village bearing the name Keletuva existed. It is possible that the surname Keleta originated from this place name, although the exact connection remains unclear.

One notable figure from this period was Jonas Keleta (1625-1698), a Catholic priest and author who wrote several religious texts and sermons. His works were widely read and influential in the Lithuanian Catholic community.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Antanas Keleta (1745-1815), a renowned architect who designed several churches and manor houses in the Vilnius region. His most famous work is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Vilnius, a stunning example of Baroque architecture.

As the Lithuanian diaspora spread across Europe and beyond, the Keleta surname appeared in various regions. In the 19th century, Juozas Keleta (1810-1887) was a prominent Lithuanian-American businessman and community leader who helped establish Lithuanian communities in the United States.

Throughout its history, the surname Keleta has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and military figures. While not as widespread as some other Lithuanian surnames, it remains a part of the rich cultural heritage of the Baltic region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keleta

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

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 Keleta 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 Keleta 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 Keleta was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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