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

Vit, 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 Vit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vit in America

Vit is the 106570th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vit surname appeared 167 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 Vit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vit 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 Vit

The surname "Vit" is believed to have originated in Central Europe, specifically in the Czech Republic and surrounding regions. It likely emerged during the Middle Ages, possibly as early as the 11th or 12th century.

One theory suggests that "Vit" is derived from a Slavic root word meaning "to twist" or "to wind." This could indicate that the name was initially associated with occupations such as basket weaving, rope making, or other crafts involving the twisting or winding of materials.

Another possibility is that "Vit" is a shortened form of the common Slavic name "Vitaliy" or "Vitalius," which itself comes from the Latin word "vitalis," meaning "life" or "vital." In this case, the surname may have been adopted as a patronymic, indicating descent from an ancestor named Vitaliy or Vitalius.

Among the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Vit" is a reference to a man named Vitoslav Vit in a Czech chronicle from the 13th century. This suggests that the name had already become established in the region by that time.

In the 14th century, a Czech knight named Jan Vit is mentioned in historical records, indicating that the surname was also used by members of the nobility during that period.

One notable figure associated with the surname "Vit" was Jeroným Vit, a Czech humanist scholar and writer who lived from 1515 to 1588. He was known for his works on history, philosophy, and theology, and played a significant role in the intellectual life of Renaissance-era Bohemia.

During the 16th century, the name "Vit" also appeared in records from other parts of Central Europe, such as Poland and Hungary. For example, a Polish nobleman named Jan Vit was mentioned in documents from the mid-1500s.

In the 18th century, a German artist named Johann Vit (1731-1809) gained recognition for his landscape paintings and etchings, particularly those depicting scenes from the Bavarian Alps.

Another individual of note was Karel Vit (1859-1935), a Czech architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the development of Prague's modern infrastructure and public spaces in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the surname "Vit" has its roots in Central Europe, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in the Czech lands and neighboring regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vit

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

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

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

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