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

Vaitkus, 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 Vaitkus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vaitkus in America

Vaitkus is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vaitkus surname appeared 210 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 Vaitkus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vaitkus 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 Vaitkus

The surname Vaitkus has its origins in Lithuania, tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Lithuanian word "vaitkus," which means "heir" or "inheritor." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who inherited property or titles from their ancestors.

In the early days, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern and central regions of Lithuania, particularly in areas around Vilnius and Kaunas. Historical records from that time often show variations in spelling, such as Vaitkunas, Vaitkaitis, or Vaitkevičius, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vaitkus can be found in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania's chronicles from the mid-15th century. These chronicles mention a nobleman named Jonas Vaitkus, who was a prominent figure in the court of Grand Duke Casimir IV Jagiellon (1440-1492).

In the 16th century, the Vaitkus name appeared in various land ownership and tax records, indicating that members of this family held significant properties and estates in different parts of Lithuania. One notable figure from this period was Mykolas Vaitkus (1520-1589), a wealthy landowner and patron of the arts, who commissioned the construction of several churches and monasteries in the Vilnius region.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Vaitkus name continued to be associated with the Lithuanian nobility and gentry. Antanas Vaitkus (1650-1715) was a respected military commander who fought in the wars against Sweden and Russia, while Jurgis Vaitkus (1710-1780) was a renowned scholar and educator who established one of the first public libraries in Vilnius.

In the 19th century, as Lithuania came under the rule of the Russian Empire, the Vaitkus name became more widespread among the middle classes and urban populations. Significant individuals from this period include Juozas Vaitkus (1835-1912), a prominent businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and hospitals in Kaunas, and Marija Vaitkus (1870-1941), a pioneering female writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and education.

Other notable individuals with the surname Vaitkus throughout history include Vytautas Vaitkus (1905-1985), a celebrated Lithuanian artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits, and Algirdas Vaitkus (1932-2014), a renowned architect who designed many iconic buildings in Vilnius and other cities in Lithuania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vaitkus

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

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

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

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