2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zukaitis
A Lithuanian surname derived from the word "žukas" meaning beetle.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Zukaitis. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zukaitis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Zukaitis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zukaitis, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zukaitis
The surname Zukaitis has its origins in Lithuania, a Baltic country with a rich history. It is believed to have originated during the feudal period, possibly around the 15th or 16th century. The name is primarily associated with the regions of Aukštaitija and Žemaitija, two historical and ethnographic regions in Lithuania.
Etymologically, Zukaitis is derived from the Lithuanian word "žukas," meaning beetle. The suffix "-aitis" is a patronymic form, indicating "son of." Therefore, Zukaitis can be interpreted as "son of Žukas" or "son of the beetle". This could imply a familial connection to the term, or possibly a sign of respect to a forefather named Žukas who might have been known for some notable achievements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zukaitis appears in Lithuanian church records from the late 17th century. Specifically, a Marijonas Zukaitis is mentioned in baptismal records from 1690 in the Diocese of Vilnius. The church played a crucial role in documenting personal records during that time, as Lithuania did not yet have a formal civil registry system.
Another historical reference includes Jonas Zukaitis, who was noted in land ownership documents from 1735 in the region of Samogitia. These documents were essential as they demonstrated land rights and transfers which were key elements of determining nobility and free peasantry status.
The surname also surfaces in the Chronicles of the Pamedė region in 1802, where Antanas Zukaitis is listed as a participant in local community councils. These chronicles give us a glimpse into the involvement of individuals bearing the name in local governance and societal affairs, showcasing the surname's presence in both rural and urban settings.
In the mid-19th century, during the period of Tsarist control over Lithuania, a notable person by the name of Viktoras Zukaitis appears. Born in 1832 and dying in 1888, Viktoras was a significant member of the Lithuanian intelligentsia and a proponent for national cultural preservation in the face of Russification policies. His contributions are celebrated in Lithuanian literary records.
The turn of the 20th century sees the name in various emigrant records, where Lithuanian citizens left for America. Notable among them is Petras Zukaitis, born in 1875, who emigrated to the United States in 1902, settling in Chicago. Petras became a notable figure within the Lithuanian American community, helping to establish cultural societies and support networks for new immigrants.
Thus, the surname Zukaitis not only carries with it deep etymological significance, connecting individuals to their Lithuanian roots, but also a rich history reflected in various historical documents and contributions to both Lithuanian and diaspora communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zukaitis
Among Census respondents with the surname Zukaitis, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zukaitis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Zukaitis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zukaitis
Zukaitis appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
+11 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,190 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-16 bearers (-12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,342 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 1,190 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.9%) | Down 15,342 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Zukaitis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #135,593 | #150,935 | -11.3% |
| Count | 124 | 108 | -12.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zukaitis bearers went from 124 to 108 (-12.9% change). The surname moved down 15,342 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #150,935.
FAQ
Zukaitis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zukaitis?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Zukaitis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Zukaitis?
Zukaitis ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Zukaitis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zukaitis.
Has Zukaitis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zukaitis went from 124 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Zukaitis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zukaitis, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zukaitis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zukaitis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Zukaitis (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Zukaitis mean?
A Lithuanian surname derived from the word "žukas" meaning beetle. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Zukaitis (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Zukaitis?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.