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

Pitkanen, 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 Pitkanen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pitkanen in America

Pitkanen is the 115639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pitkanen surname appeared 151 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pitkanen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pitkanen 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 Pitkanen

The surname Pitkanen is of Finnish origin, with its roots traceable back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Finnish word "pitka," which means "long" or "tall," suggesting that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone of a tall stature.

The earliest recorded instances of the Pitkanen surname can be found in historical documents from the provinces of Finland Proper and Satakunta, where it was prevalent among rural communities. Some of the earliest known bearers of this name include Heikki Pitkanen, born in 1587 in Turku, and Antti Pitkanen, a farmer from Huittinen, mentioned in parish records from the early 17th century.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Pitkanen name appeared in various historical records, such as tax rolls, land ownership documents, and church registers. One notable figure from this period was Matti Pitkanen (1663-1732), a prominent farmer and landowner in the village of Kaarina, who played a significant role in local affairs.

As the Finnish population began to migrate and expand in the 19th century, the Pitkanen surname spread to other regions of Finland and beyond. Mikko Pitkanen (1811-1883), a sailor and explorer, is remembered for his voyages to the Arctic regions and his contributions to the mapping of the northern coasts of Finland and Russia.

Another notable individual was Johanna Pitkanen (1855-1931), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Finland. She founded several schools and played a crucial role in promoting education for girls and women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the 20th century, the Pitkanen surname continued to be associated with various professions and achievements. One such figure was Arvo Pitkanen (1914-1996), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Helsinki and other Finnish cities, leaving a lasting impact on the country's architectural landscape.

While the Pitkanen surname is primarily associated with Finland, it has also been adopted by Finnish emigrants who settled in other parts of the world, particularly in North America and Scandinavia. However, the name's origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Finnish cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pitkanen

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!