2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Morkunas
A Lithuanian surname potentially derived from the word "morkūnas" meaning an agricultural worker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Morkunas. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Morkunas 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Morkunas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Morkunas, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Morkunas
The surname Morkunas has its origins in Lithuania, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Lithuanian word "morkūnas," which means "carrot" or "carrot-colored." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Morkunas can be found in historical records and documents from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, such as land registries, court proceedings, and parish registers. One notable example is Jonas Morkunas, a landowner and nobleman mentioned in a deed from the year 1587.
In the 17th century, the name Morkunas appeared in various forms, including "Morkun," "Morkunaitis," and "Morkunowski," reflecting regional variations and influences from neighboring countries like Poland and Belarus. During this period, the name was also associated with several villages and estates in the Lithuanian regions of Samogitia and Aukštaitija.
A prominent figure bearing the Morkunas surname was Petras Morkunas (1610-1678), a Catholic priest and theologian who served as the rector of the Vilnius University and authored several religious texts. Another notable individual was Jurgis Morkunas (1751-1819), a Lithuanian peasant and leader of a local uprising against serfdom.
In the 19th century, the Morkunas surname gained wider recognition with the birth of Antanas Morkunas (1817-1892), a Lithuanian writer, poet, and educator who played a significant role in the Lithuanian National Revival movement. His works, which celebrated Lithuanian culture and language, were instrumental in fostering national identity and pride.
Other notable individuals with the Morkunas surname include Juozas Morkunas (1888-1942), a Lithuanian military officer who served in World War I and later became a general in the Lithuanian Army; and Kazys Morkunas (1909-1990), a Lithuanian-American sculptor and artist known for his works depicting Lithuanian folklore and mythological themes.
Throughout its history, the Morkunas surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, intellectuals, and artists, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and diversity of Lithuania.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Morkunas
Among Census respondents with the surname Morkunas, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Morkunas 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 Morkunas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Morkunas
Morkunas appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,280 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Up 9,280 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 Morkunas 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 | #157,234 | #147,954 | 5.9% |
| Count | 103 | 112 | 8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 24.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Morkunas bearers went from 103 to 112 (+8.7% change). The surname moved up 9,280 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #147,954.
FAQ
Morkunas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Morkunas?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Morkunas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Morkunas?
Morkunas ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Morkunas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Morkunas.
Has Morkunas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Morkunas went from 103 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 9 (+8.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Morkunas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Morkunas, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Morkunas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Morkunas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (3.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Morkunas (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 Morkunas mean?
A Lithuanian surname potentially derived from the word "morkūnas" meaning an agricultural worker. 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 Morkunas (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 surname Morkunas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.