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

Kunis, 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 Kunis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kunis in America

Kunis is the 65244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kunis surname appeared 304 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 Kunis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kunis 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 Kunis

The surname KUNIS originates from Lithuania and is believed to have derived from the Lithuanian word "kuinas" or "kuinys", meaning a small horse or pony. This name likely originated in the 16th or 17th century when many Lithuanians adopted surnames based on occupations, physical traits, or characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KUNIS can be found in the 1784 census records of the town of Vilkija, located in the Kaunas region of Lithuania. The name is also mentioned in several 19th-century Lithuanian church records and land registries.

In the late 19th century, the surname KUNIS began to spread beyond Lithuania as many individuals emigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable early bearer of the name was Jonas Kunis (1855-1932), a Lithuanian author and educator who played a significant role in promoting Lithuanian language and culture during the Lithuanian National Revival.

Another historical figure with the surname KUNIS was Antanas Kunis (1892-1968), a Lithuanian-American businessman and philanthropist who established several successful businesses in the United States and donated generously to various Lithuanian causes and organizations.

Juozas Kunis (1908-1985) was a Lithuanian-American artist and sculptor, known for his works depicting Lithuanian folklore and mythology. His sculptures can be found in various public spaces and museums across Lithuania and the United States.

In the 20th century, the surname KUNIS gained wider recognition through the actress Mila Kunis, born in 1983 in Ukraine to a Jewish family with Lithuanian roots. Kunis has starred in numerous successful films and television shows, including "That '70s Show" and "Black Swan."

Andrius Kunis (1961-2019) was a prominent Lithuanian basketball player and coach, who played for the Soviet Union national team and later coached several professional teams in Lithuania and other European countries.

While the surname KUNIS is not among the most common in Lithuania today, it remains a part of the country's cultural heritage, reflecting its historical connections to the agricultural and equestrian traditions of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kunis

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

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

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

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