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

Pita, 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 Pita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pita in America

Pita is the 13148th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pita surname appeared 2,328 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 Pita.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pita 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 Pita

The surname PITA has its origins in Greece, dating back to the Byzantine era around the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Greek word "pita," which means bread or flatbread, a staple food in the region. This surname was likely given to bakers or individuals associated with the production or trade of bread.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PITA surname can be found in the archives of the Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, where a monk named Ioannis PITA is mentioned in a document from the late 13th century. The name also appears in various church records and official documents from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods in Greece.

During the 15th century, the PITA surname was prominent in the Greek communities of the Ionian Islands, particularly on the island of Corfu. A notable figure from this time was Georgios PITA, a merchant and ship owner who lived between 1440 and 1502. His trading ventures extended across the Mediterranean, and his name is recorded in various commercial transactions and maritime records.

In the 17th century, the PITA surname gained prominence in the Peloponnese region of Greece, where several families with this name were involved in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. One such individual was Konstantinos PITA (1790-1843), a military leader and politician who played a significant role in the revolution.

Another notable figure was Petros PITA (1818-1892), a Greek scholar, and writer from the island of Chios. He was a prolific author and contributed to the preservation of Greek literature and culture during the turbulent times of the 19th century.

In the 20th century, the PITA surname continued to be associated with notable individuals in various fields. For example, Ioannis PITA (1909-1990) was a prominent Greek lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Justice in the 1960s.

While the PITA surname has its roots in Greece, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Greek word for bread, reflecting the cultural significance of this staple food in the region's history and traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pita

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

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

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

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