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

Sitka, 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 Sitka surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sitka in America

Sitka is the 106096th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sitka surname appeared 168 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 Sitka.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sitka 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 Sitka

The surname Sitka originates from the Russian word "sitkha," which means "spruce tree." It is believed to have first appeared in the late 18th century, when Russian fur traders and settlers arrived in Alaska, which was then known as Russian America. The name is closely associated with the town of Sitka, which was established by Russian colonists in 1804 and was initially named "Novo-Arkhangelsk" (New Archangel) after the capital of the Russian-American Company.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname Sitka can be found in the journals and records of the Russian-American Company, which governed the Russian colonies in North America during the 19th century. These documents often referred to individuals who lived or worked in the Sitka area, such as administrators, traders, or local indigenous people who had adopted Russian names.

In the early 19th century, a prominent figure named Aleksandr Andreevich Baranov (1746-1819) served as the chief manager of the Russian-American Company and played a crucial role in the establishment and expansion of Russian settlements in Alaska, including the town of Sitka. Baranov's reports and correspondence frequently mentioned individuals with the surname Sitka, suggesting that it was already in use during that time.

Another notable person associated with the name Sitka was Mikhail Dmitrievich Teben'kov (1802-1872), a Russian naval officer and explorer who conducted extensive surveys and mapping of the Alaskan coastline in the 1830s and 1840s. His detailed charts and maps often included references to places named Sitka or variations of the name, reflecting the influence of the Russian presence in the region.

In the late 19th century, after the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, the surname Sitka began to appear in American census records and other official documents. One such individual was Ivan Sitka (1830-1905), a Russian-American entrepreneur and trader who operated a successful business in Sitka and was known for his contributions to the local community.

During the early 20th century, the name Sitka gained further recognition through the work of John Green Brady Sitka (1874-1942), a prominent Alaska Native leader and advocate for indigenous rights. He played a vital role in preserving the cultural heritage and traditions of the Tlingit people and worked tirelessly to promote education and economic opportunities for Native Alaskans.

Throughout its history, the surname Sitka has maintained a strong connection to the town of Sitka and the broader Alaskan region, reflecting the enduring legacy of the Russian presence and the rich cultural tapestry of this part of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sitka

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

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

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

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