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

Litman, 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 Litman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Litman in America

Litman is the 19513th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Litman surname appeared 1,384 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 Litman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Litman 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 Litman

The surname "LITMAN" is of Yiddish-German origin, with roots tracing back to the late Middle Ages in Central and Eastern Europe. It is believed to have emerged as an occupational name, derived from the Yiddish word "lit" meaning "lead" or "tin," combined with the German suffix "-man," denoting a person who worked as a lead or tin worker, such as a plumber or tinsmith.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in 16th-century German and Polish records, with variations in spelling like "Litmann," "Lytman," and "Lyttman." The name was particularly prevalent in areas with significant Jewish communities, including parts of modern-day Poland, Ukraine, and Germany.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the surname was Isaac Litman, a Jewish merchant born in Kraków, Poland, around 1550. He was mentioned in local trade records for his involvement in the tin and lead trade.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the renowned Pinkas Kehillat Kodesh of the Krakow Jewish community, a historical record of births, deaths, and notable events within the Jewish population of the city.

The 18th century saw the emergence of notable figures like Moses Litman (1720-1792), a respected Talmudic scholar and Rabbi in Brody, present-day Ukraine. His teachings and writings on Jewish law and philosophy had a significant influence on the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe.

During the 19th century, the Litman surname spread across Europe and beyond as Jewish families emigrated to escape persecution or seek better opportunities. One prominent individual was Samuel Litman (1845-1912), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Warsaw, Poland, who made significant contributions to various charitable causes and educational institutions.

Another notable figure was Sarah Litman (1870-1942), a Polish-born American writer and activist who actively campaigned for women's suffrage and labor rights in the early 20th century.

Throughout history, the Litman surname has been associated with various professions, including scholars, merchants, artisans, and more recently, doctors, lawyers, and academics. While the name may have evolved from its original occupational roots, it has become a well-established surname carried by individuals of diverse backgrounds and nationalities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Litman

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

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

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

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