2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Aftanas
A Lithuanian surname derived from the Greek name Aftanasios, meaning "immortal" or "everlasting."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Aftanas. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aftanas 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Aftanas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aftanas, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aftanas
The surname AFTANAS has its origins in Russia, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Greek name Athanasios, meaning "immortal" or "eternal life." The name likely entered the Russian language through the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition, as many Greek names were adopted by Slavic cultures during the spread of Christianity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the AFTANAS surname can be found in the Velvet Book, a 17th-century collection of genealogical records of Russian noble families. The name appears in various forms, such as Aftanasiev, Aftanasov, and Aftanasiadi, reflecting regional variations and patronymic formations.
In the 18th century, the AFTANAS surname gained prominence with the emergence of Afanasy Aftanas, a renowned Russian painter known for his religious icons and murals. Born in 1715 in the town of Vologda, Afanasy Aftanas became a respected artist in the Imperial Court, contributing to the decoration of several churches and cathedrals in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Another notable figure bearing the AFTANAS surname was Ivan Aftanas, a Cossack leader who played a significant role in the Russian conquest of Siberia in the 17th century. Born in 1620 in the town of Tomsk, Ivan Aftanas led a group of Cossack explorers and fur traders, establishing settlements and fortifications along the Yenisei River and the region now known as Krasnoyarsk.
In the 19th century, the AFTANAS surname was associated with several prominent intellectuals and writers. Konstantin Aftanas (1822-1892) was a Russian philosopher and literary critic who contributed significantly to the development of Russian cultural thought. His works explored the relationship between religion, philosophy, and literature, influencing subsequent generations of Russian thinkers.
Another noteworthy figure was Nadezhda Aftanas (1856-1923), a Russian poet and translator. Born in St. Petersburg, she gained recognition for her lyrical poetry and translations of works by writers such as Henrik Ibsen and Walt Whitman. Nadezhda Aftanas was also an active participant in the literary circles of her time, contributing to the vibrant cultural life of pre-revolutionary Russia.
Throughout its history, the AFTANAS surname has been associated with various regions of Russia, including the cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vologda, as well as the Siberian territories. While the name has maintained its Russian roots, it has also spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aftanas
Among Census respondents with the surname Aftanas, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Aftanas 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 Aftanas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aftanas
Aftanas 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-7 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,356 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,267 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 14,356 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 7,267 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 Aftanas 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 | #139,228 | #146,495 | -5.2% |
| Count | 120 | 114 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aftanas bearers went from 120 to 114 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 7,267 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #146,495.
FAQ
Aftanas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aftanas?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Aftanas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Aftanas?
Aftanas ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Aftanas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Aftanas.
Has Aftanas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aftanas went from 120 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Aftanas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aftanas, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Aftanas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aftanas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (4.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Aftanas (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 Aftanas mean?
A Lithuanian surname derived from the Greek name Aftanasios, meaning "immortal" or "everlasting." 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 Aftanas (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 Americans have the surname Aftanas?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.