Surname Mockaitis - Meaning and Origin
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Mockaitis: What does the surname Mockaitis mean?
The last name Mockaitis is of Lithuanian origin. The literal translation of the word Mockaitis is 'son of mokas', which is an old Lithuanian word for 'mitre', a type of hat worn by priests. This suggests that the surname was likely adopted by the descendants of a priest or religious leader. This early religious heritage can be observed in the many variations of the last name, such as Mokotis, Mockaitis, Mockus and Mockaitas.
The Lithuanian language is closely related to ancient Sanskrit, which suggests that Mockaitis may be derived from an Indo-European root word for 'mitre' or 'mitri'. This ancient root is also similar to the Sanskrit root word 'mukta' for 'blessing'. Whether Mockaitis was adopted as a direct reference to religious traditions or if it was Bhagvad Gita term for ‘unbound’ – still remains open to speculation.
The surname Mockaitis also appears in Latvian and Polish documents, as Mocku or Mockuć. It may have been adopted during the 19th century, when Lithuania was part of the Russian Empire and large numbers of Lithuanians moved to Latvia and Poland.
In recent times, the surname Mockaitis has spread to many parts of the world, particularly to countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States. However, it is likely that the origination of this surname still remains connected to religious and linguistic roots in Eastern Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisMockaitis: Where does the name Mockaitis come from?
The last name Mockaitis is most commonly found in Lithuania, but families with this surname have spread to other parts of the world. Mockaitis first appeared in Lithuania in the early 1800s. Since then, it has become one of the more common surnames in the country with approximately 4,500 individuals with the surname currently living in the country today. In the twentieth century, many with the surname have left Lithuania, mainly for areas of the United States such as Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, California and New Jersey as well as Canada.
In the United States, there are currently an estimated 1,000 individuals with the Mockaitis surname. As of 2020, it is the 5,286th most common surname in the country and ranks in the top 5,000 most common names. Due to its Lithuanian roots, the Mockaitis surname is more common in the American Midwest and Northeast, where most Lithuanian immigrants settled during the early 20th century.
The Mockaitis surname is also quite common in surrounding countries, particularly in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia and Belarus. Additionally, there are a number of Mockaitis families living in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia and South America.
Overall, the Mockaitis surname is quite widespread across the world with individuals living in many different countries.
Variations of the surname Mockaitis
The surname Mockaitis is a Lithuanian surname derived from the word Mockas which means “miller.” There are a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin meaning “miller”.
The variants of the surname Mockaitis include Mockus, Mocka, Mokas, Mockaitis, Mockaitys, Mokasaitis, Mockaitiene, Mockaitienė, Mockaitiškis, Mockaitiškių and Mockiene.
The spellings of the surname Mockaitis are Mockaitis, Mokasaitis, Mockaitiene, Mockaitienė, Mockaitiškis, Mockaitiškių, Mockiene, Mockas, Mockus, Mocka, and Mokas.
The surnames of the same origin meaning “miller” are Malekas, Measel, Meshulam, Moch, Moczków, Mokasiewicz, Mokasik, Moks, Mokslas, Molochko, Mookhoek, Mukulik and Mukus.
The Mockaitis surname is quite common in Lithuania, and those with the surname are still connected to the Lithuanian mills. In fact, some people with this surname still own and manage mills in Lithuania today.
Famous people with the name Mockaitis
- Michelle Mockaitis: Television, media and live events producer, director, writer, content creator and consultant.
- Don Mockaitis: Philosopher, educator, and inspirational speaker focused on personal and professional development topics.
- Foltyn Mockaitis: Singer and songwriter known as Foltyn M.
- Emily Mockaitis: Child actor and television host.
- Stanislovas Mockaitis: Lithuanian politician and former Prime Minister.
- Augustinas Mockaitis: Lithuanian philosopher and member of the Lithuanian National Academy of Sciences.
- Zenonas Mockaitis: Lithuanian artist and poet.
- Bronius Mockaitis: Lithuanian sculptor and airborne veteran from World War II.
- Edgaras Mockaitis: Lithuanian artist specializing in abstract expressionism and geometric abstraction.
- Silvija Mockaitiene: Lithuanian poet, essayist and literary critic.