2000
#15,551
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,727
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.64
Rare Last name
Atlas
A surname derived from a nickname for a person who supported others or bore a great burden.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,095 Americans carry the last name Atlas. That puts it at #15,448 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 163,606 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Atlas 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
2.1K
1 in 163,606
Census rank
#15,448
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,827 bearers of the surname Atlas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15448th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Atlas, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (17.4%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Atlas
The surname ATLAS originated from the Greek mythological figure Atlas, who was a Titan condemned to hold up the celestial heavens for eternity. The name is derived from the Greek word "Atlantos," meaning "the endurer" or "the upholder."
The earliest recorded instances of the surname ATLAS can be traced back to the 16th century in parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong Greek cultural influences, such as Italy and Greece itself. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by individuals with a strong connection to the mythological figure or those who displayed qualities associated with endurance and strength.
Historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries mention several notable individuals bearing the surname ATLAS. One such example is Girolamo Atlas, an Italian mathematician and astronomer born in 1552, who made significant contributions to the development of celestial cartography. Another notable figure was Andreas Atlas, a Greek physician and scholar born in 1630, renowned for his work on anatomy and medical treatises.
The name ATLAS is also associated with various place names, particularly in regions with Greek influences. For instance, the Atlas Mountains in North Africa derive their name from the same mythological figure, as the ancient Greeks believed these mountains held up the celestial heavens. Additionally, the name has been linked to the island of Atlantis, the legendary island mentioned in Plato's writings, which was said to have been named after Atlas.
Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the surname ATLAS, including:
1. Jacob Atlas (1688-1768), a Dutch painter known for his landscape and architectural works.
2. Samuel Atlas (1796-1872), an American merchant and philanthropist who played a significant role in the establishment of the Hebrew Union College.
3. Charles Atlas (1892-1972), an Italian-American bodybuilder and entrepreneur, renowned for his influential fitness programs and marketing techniques.
4. Natacha Atlas (born 1964), a Belgian singer and songwriter of Egyptian descent, known for her fusion of Arabic and Western musical styles.
5. Michael Atlas (born 1973), an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in independent films and television series.
The surname ATLAS continues to be found in various parts of the world, reflecting its rich historical and cultural significance, rooted in Greek mythology and the enduring qualities associated with the Titan Atlas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Atlas
Among Census respondents with the surname Atlas, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (17.4%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Atlas 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 Atlas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.7% · 1,328
- Black or African American17.4% · 317
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 111
- Two or more races2.4% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Atlas
Atlas 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
#14,866
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,992
+265 bearers (+15.3%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Up 685 places
2020
#15,448
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,827
-165 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Down 582 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,551 | 1,727 | 0.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,866 | 1,992 | 0.68 | +265 bearers (+15.3%) | Up 685 places |
| 2020 | #15,448 | 1,827 | 0.61 | -165 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 582 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 Atlas 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 | #14,866 | #15,448 | -3.9% |
| Count | 1,992 | 1,827 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.61 | -10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Atlas bearers went from 1,992 to 1,827 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 582 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,866 to #15,448.
FAQ
Atlas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Atlas?
Name Census estimates that about 2,095 living Americans carry the surname Atlas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 163,606 residents.
How common is Atlas?
Atlas ranks #15,448 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,827 people with the surname Atlas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,095), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Atlas.
Has Atlas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Atlas went from 1,992 recorded bearers to 1,827. That is a decrease of 165 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,866 to #15,448.
What does the Census say about the background of Atlas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Atlas, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (17.4%) and Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Atlas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.7% (1,328 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Atlas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.7%), Black (17.4%), Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Atlas (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 Atlas mean?
A surname derived from a nickname for a person who supported others or bore a great burden. 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 Atlas (0.61 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 have the last name Atlas?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Atlas on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.