2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Apostolov
A surname derived from the Greek word "apostolos," meaning "messenger" or "disciple."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Apostolov. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Apostolov 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Apostolov in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Apostolov, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Apostolov
The surname Apostolov originates from Bulgaria and the surrounding Balkan region. It emerged during the Middle Ages, derived from the Slavic word "apostol," meaning "apostle" or "messenger." This name was likely given to individuals who had some connection to the Christian faith or clergy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Apostolov surname can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the Rila Monastery in Bulgaria. This document mentions a certain Petko Apostolov, a monk and scribe who contributed to the monastery's literary works.
In the 15th century, the name appears in records from the town of Vidin, located in northwestern Bulgaria. A merchant named Ivan Apostolov is mentioned in a trade document from 1472, indicating the presence of the surname among the urban population.
During the Ottoman rule over Bulgaria, the Apostolov surname was carried by individuals from various social strata. In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Dimitar Apostolov played a role in the resistance against Ottoman occupation, leading a rebellion in the Rhodope Mountains.
As the Bulgarian National Revival movement gained momentum in the 19th century, the Apostolov surname became associated with intellectual and cultural figures. Vasil Apostolov (1801-1868) was a notable writer, educator, and translator who contributed to the development of modern Bulgarian literature.
Another notable bearer of the Apostolov surname was Nikola Apostolov (1847-1926), a distinguished painter and art teacher who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Bulgarian art scene. His works are celebrated for their depictions of Bulgarian landscapes and everyday life.
In the 20th century, the Apostolov name continued to be represented across various fields. Hristo Apostolov (1904-1987) was a renowned Bulgarian architect who designed several iconic buildings in Sofia, including the National Palace of Culture.
Svetoslav Apostolov (1921-1997) was a celebrated actor and theater director, renowned for his performances in classical Bulgarian plays and his contributions to the development of modern Bulgarian theater.
Throughout its history, the Apostolov surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Bulgaria and the Balkan region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Apostolov
Among Census respondents with the surname Apostolov, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Apostolov 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 Apostolov surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.3% · 103
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Apostolov
Apostolov appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+6 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,073 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.9%) | Up 8,073 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 Apostolov 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 | #159,712 | #151,639 | 5.1% |
| Count | 101 | 107 | 5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 19.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Apostolov bearers went from 101 to 107 (+5.9% change). The surname moved up 8,073 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #151,639.
FAQ
Apostolov surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Apostolov?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Apostolov. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Apostolov?
Apostolov ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Apostolov. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Apostolov.
Has Apostolov become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Apostolov went from 101 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 6 (+5.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Apostolov?
Among Census respondents with the surname Apostolov, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and Black (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 Apostolov in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Apostolov appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%), Black (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 Apostolov (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 Apostolov mean?
A surname derived from the Greek word "apostolos," meaning "messenger" or "disciple." 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 Apostolov (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 are called Apostolov?
See how many people have the surname Apostolov on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.