2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Litwa
A surname derived from the Polish region of Lithuania.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Litwa. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Litwa surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Litwa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Litwa, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Litwa
The surname Litwa has its origins in Poland, originating in the 14th century. It is derived from the Polish word "Litwa," which means Lithuania, referring to the region or the people of Lithuania. The name was likely given to individuals who either lived in or near Lithuania, or had some connection to the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Litwa surname can be found in a document from the city of Krakow, dated 1379. The document mentions a certain "Petrus Litwa," suggesting that the name was already in use at that time. Additionally, there are records from the 15th century that mention individuals with variations of the name, such as "Lithuan" and "Lytwa."
In the 16th century, the Litwa surname appeared in various historical records, including court documents and parish registers. One notable example is Jan Litwa, a merchant who lived in the city of Gdansk in the mid-16th century. He was involved in trade with other Baltic regions and left behind several business records.
During the 17th century, the Litwa surname gained more prominence, and several individuals with this name held positions of importance. One such person was Tomasz Litwa, a Polish nobleman who served as a military commander during the Polish-Swedish War (1626-1629). He was known for his bravery and strategic skills on the battlefield.
In the 18th century, the Litwa surname continued to be found in various historical records, including church registers and tax records. One notable figure from this period was Stanislaw Litwa, a prominent landowner and philanthropist who lived in the region of Malopolska. He was known for his charitable contributions and support for education.
Moving into the 19th century, the Litwa surname was still prevalent, particularly in central and eastern Poland. One individual of note was Józef Litwa, a Polish painter and artist who lived from 1809 to 1878. He was known for his landscapes and portraits, and his works can be found in several museums and art galleries in Poland.
Throughout the centuries, the Litwa surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, military leaders, landowners, artists, and more. While the exact origins and meanings of surnames can be difficult to trace with absolute certainty, the Litwa surname remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage and history of Poland and its connections to Lithuania.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Litwa
Among Census respondents with the surname Litwa, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Litwa bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Litwa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 116
Timeline
Historical Census data for Litwa
Litwa appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#123,796
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
+2 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,258 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-23 bearers (-16.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,232 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #123,796 | 139 | 0.05 | +2 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 6,258 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -23 bearers (-16.5%) | Down 21,232 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Litwa surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #123,796 | #145,028 | -17.2% |
| Count | 139 | 116 | -16.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -22.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Litwa bearers went from 139 to 116 (-16.5% change). The surname moved down 21,232 positions in the national ranking, going from #123,796 to #145,028.
FAQ
Litwa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Litwa?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Litwa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Litwa?
Litwa ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Litwa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Litwa.
Has Litwa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Litwa went from 139 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 23 (-16.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #123,796 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Litwa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Litwa, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Litwa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (116 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Litwa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Litwa (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Litwa mean?
A surname derived from the Polish region of Lithuania. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Litwa (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Litwa?
Find out how many people have the surname Litwa on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.