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

Petras, 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 Petras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petras in America

Petras is the 17896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petras surname appeared 1,562 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Petras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petras 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 Petras

The surname Petras has its origins in Lithuania and is derived from the Lithuanian given name Petras, which is the equivalent of the English name Peter. The name ultimately traces its roots back to the Greek word "petros," meaning "rock" or "stone."

The earliest known records of the surname Petras date back to the 16th century in Lithuania, where it was commonly found in various regions of the country, including Vilnius, Kaunas, and Šiauliai. The name was often associated with individuals from rural areas or those involved in agricultural pursuits.

In the 17th century, the surname Petras began to appear in historical documents and records related to the Lithuanian nobility. One notable figure from this period was Jonas Petras Vailokaitis (1580-1650), a prominent Lithuanian nobleman and politician who served as a member of the Sejm (parliament) and held several important positions in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

As the Lithuanian diaspora spread across Europe and beyond, the surname Petras was carried along with those who migrated. In the 19th century, the name was documented among Lithuanian communities in the Russian Empire, particularly in the regions of modern-day Belarus and Ukraine.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Petras in the United States was Jonas Petras (1832-1910), a Lithuanian immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and worked as a coal miner. He is believed to have been among the first Lithuanians to arrive in the United States.

Another notable figure with the surname Petras was Antanas Petras (1885-1944), a Lithuanian poet, and writer who made significant contributions to the development of modern Lithuanian literature. His works, which often explored themes of national identity and cultural heritage, have been widely studied and celebrated in Lithuania and beyond.

In the 20th century, the surname Petras gained further recognition through the achievements of individuals such as Vytautas Petras (1910-1992), a Lithuanian-American engineer and inventor who worked on the development of early computers and held several patents in the field of electronics.

While the surname Petras is most commonly associated with Lithuania, it has also been adopted by individuals of other nationalities, particularly those with Lithuanian ancestry or connections. However, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Lithuania, where it continues to be a prominent and respected surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petras

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

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

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

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