Rutkauskas last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Rutkauskas

A Lithuanian surname derived from a diminutive form of a local place name.

Rutkauskas, 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 Rutkauskas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rutkauskas in America

Rutkauskas is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rutkauskas surname appeared 173 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 Rutkauskas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rutkauskas 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 103655 112365 -8.06%
Count 173 145 17.61%
Proportion per 100k 0.06 0.05 18.18%

The history of the last name Rutkauskas

The surname Rutkauskas originates from Lithuania, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Lithuanian word "rutkas," which means "dark brown" or "reddish-brown." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person with a reddish-brown complexion or hair color.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rutkauskas can be found in a Lithuanian manuscript from the late 16th century, where it appeared as "Rutkauska." This spelling variation likely reflects the evolution of the name over time, as it adapted to different regional dialects and linguistic influences.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Rutkauskas name was primarily concentrated in the regions of Samogitia (modern-day western Lithuania) and Aukštaitija (eastern Lithuania). During this period, the name was often associated with landowners and members of the Lithuanian nobility, indicating that some bearers of the name held positions of social and economic prominence.

A notable historical figure with the surname Rutkauskas was Jonas Rutkauskas (1721-1789), a Lithuanian nobleman and landowner who played a significant role in the political and cultural life of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the 18th century. He was known for his support of Lithuanian language and literature, as well as his involvement in various diplomatic missions.

Another prominent individual bearing the Rutkauskas name was Antanas Rutkauskas (1861-1932), a Lithuanian writer, poet, and educator. He was a prolific author who contributed to the preservation and promotion of Lithuanian culture and literature during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the 19th century, the Rutkauskas name was also found among Lithuanian immigrants who settled in various parts of the United States and other countries. One such individual was Juozas Rutkauskas (1873-1941), a Lithuanian-American businessman and community leader who played a pivotal role in the establishment of Lithuanian organizations in Chicago, Illinois.

Historically, the Rutkauskas name has also been associated with various place names and geographic locations in Lithuania. For instance, the village of Rutkausku Kaimas (literally "Rutkauskas Village") in the Šilutė district of western Lithuania likely derived its name from early settlers or landowners with the Rutkauskas surname.

Throughout history, the Rutkauskas surname has been represented by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including nobility, writers, educators, and community leaders. While the name's origins can be traced back to Lithuania, its bearers have contributed to the cultural, political, and social fabric of various regions and countries over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rutkauskas

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

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 Rutkauskas was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.49% 160
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 4.05% 7
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Rutkauskas has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.49% 95.86% -3.58%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 4.05% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Rutkauskas last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/rutkauskas-surname-popularity/.

"Rutkauskas last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/rutkauskas-surname-popularity/. Accessed 5 September, 2025

Rutkauskas last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/rutkauskas-surname-popularity/.

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