Lovitz
A surname possibly derived from a form of the Polish word "łowić" meaning "to hunt" or "to fish."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 240 Americans carry the last name Lovitz. That puts it at #86,981 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,428,143 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lovitz surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
240
1 in 1,428,143
Census rank
#86,981
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
214
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 214 bearers of the surname Lovitz in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 86981st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lovitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.6%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lovitz
The surname LOVITZ is believed to have originated in Eastern Europe, likely in the regions of modern-day Poland and Ukraine, sometime in the late medieval period or early Renaissance era. Linguists suggest the name is derived from the Slavic root "lov," meaning "hunt" or "catch," possibly indicating an occupational origin related to hunting or trapping.
One of the earliest known references to the LOVITZ name can be found in historical records from the city of Lviv (formerly Lemberg), located in present-day western Ukraine. A document dated 1492 mentions a merchant named Jakob Lovitz who was granted trading rights within the city's guild system.
In the 16th century, the LOVITZ name appeared in various Polish and Lithuanian records, often spelled as "Lowicz" or "Lowitzki." This variation likely stems from the town of Łowicz, located in central Poland, suggesting some LOVITZ families may have originated from or resided in this region.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, as the LOVITZ name spread across Eastern and Central Europe, it underwent further spelling variations, including "Lowitz," "Lowitzki," and "Lovitski." Notable individuals from this period include Tobias Lowitz (1757-1804), a German-Russian chemist and mathematician, and Szymon Loviћ (1737-1814), a Polish Catholic priest and writer.
As the 19th century dawned, the LOVITZ surname began to appear more frequently in Western Europe and North America due to increased immigration from Eastern European countries. One prominent figure from this era was Martin Lovitz (1851-1917), a German-American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Lovitz Brewing Company in Philadelphia.
Other notable individuals with the LOVITZ surname include:
1. Solomon Lovitz (1870-1945), a Russian-American painter and illustrator known for his depictions of Jewish life in Eastern Europe.
2. Anna Lovitz (1897-1987), a Polish-American author and educator who wrote several books on Polish culture and history.
3. Robert Lovitz (1922-2005), an American actor and comedian best known for his roles in television shows such as "Barney Miller" and "The Munsters Today."
4. Michael Lovitz (born 1957), an American businessman and investor who co-founded the private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
5. Emily Lovitz (born 1982), an American artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited in galleries across the United States and Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lovitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Lovitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.6%.
The bar chart below shows how Lovitz bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Lovitz surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.6%
- Unknown or suppressed1.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lovitz surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #80,812 | #86,981 | -7.6% |
| Count | 218 | 214 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.07 | -12.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lovitz bearers went from 218 to 214 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 6,169 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,812 to #86,981.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lovitz
FAQ
Lovitz surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lovitz?
The surname Lovitz holds position #86,981 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 240 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lovitz surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lovitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.6%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.