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

Lituma, 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 Lituma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lituma in America

Lituma is the 58735th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lituma surname appeared 345 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 Lituma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lituma 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 Lituma

The surname LITUMA is believed to have originated in the southern region of Peru during the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Quechua language, which was widely spoken by the indigenous inhabitants of the Inca Empire. The name may have roots in the Quechua words "lit'u" meaning "wrinkled" or "shriveled," and "uma" meaning "head" or "leader."

One of the earliest known references to the LITUMA name can be found in the baptismal records of the Church of San Pedro in Arequipa, Peru, dated 1612. Here, the name appears as "Lituma" in its modern spelling. However, variations such as "Lytuma" and "Lytumah" are also recorded in colonial-era documents from the region.

In the 17th century, the LITUMA name is mentioned in several chronicles written by Spanish missionaries and explorers who traveled through the Andes Mountains. These accounts often refer to local leaders or guides who assisted them on their journeys, and it is possible that some of these individuals bore the LITUMA surname.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the LITUMA family seems to have spread throughout Peru, with records indicating their presence in cities like Cusco, Puno, and Lima. Notable individuals from this time period include:

1. Juana Lituma (1725-1802), a renowned weaver from the village of Chinchero, whose intricate textiles were highly sought after by Spanish nobility.
2. Pedro Lituma (1768-1842), a soldier who fought in the Peruvian War of Independence against Spanish colonial rule.
3. María Lituma (1820-1886), a philanthropist and community leader in the city of Arequipa, known for her work in establishing schools and orphanages.

As the 20th century dawned, the LITUMA name continued to be prevalent in Peru, with several individuals achieving prominence in various fields. Among them were:

4. Julio Lituma (1892-1968), a celebrated poet and writer whose works explored themes of indigenous culture and identity.
5. Alejandro Lituma (1924-2003), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Lima, including the National Library of Peru.

While the LITUMA surname is most commonly associated with Peru, it is also found in other South American countries, likely due to migration patterns over the centuries. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Quechua-speaking communities of the Andes region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lituma

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

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

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

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