2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Candis
A surname derived from the French word "candis", meaning crystallized or candied.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Candis. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Candis 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Candis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Candis, the largest self-reported group is Black at 75.9%. The next largest groups are White (12.1%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Candis
The surname Candis has its origins in the Middle Ages, tracing back to the region of Normandy in northern France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "candies," which translates to "candles" or "candlelight." This connection suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone involved in the production or trade of candles, which were crucial in those times for providing illumination.
The earliest known record of the name Candis can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their estates commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical document mentions a landowner named Robert de Candis, who held estates in the county of Essex, England.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the surname Candis began to appear in various records across England, particularly in areas with strong Norman influence, such as Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. This suggests that the name may have been brought to England by Norman settlers following the conquest in 1066.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Candis, a prominent knight who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. He was known for his military service and participated in several campaigns, including the Hundred Years' War against France.
In the 16th century, the spelling of the surname evolved to include variations such as Candies and Candeys. During this time, a prominent figure named William Candies was a wealthy merchant and landowner in the city of London. He was also a member of the influential Worshipful Company of Mercers.
Another historical figure of note was Sir Thomas Candis, who lived in the 17th century and served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Colchester in Essex. He played a significant role in local politics and was known for his advocacy of religious tolerance during the turbulent times of the English Civil War.
In the 18th century, the surname Candis was also found in Scotland, with records indicating a family of that name residing in the county of Aberdeenshire. One member of this family, James Candis, was a respected scholar and writer who authored several works on Scottish history and culture.
Throughout its history, the surname Candis has been associated with various place names, including Candis Green in Essex, Candis Farm in Suffolk, and Candis Court in Kent. These locations may have derived their names from individuals bearing the Candis surname or may have influenced the development of the surname itself.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Candis
Among Census respondents with the surname Candis, the largest self-reported group is Black at 75.9%. The next largest groups are White (12.1%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Candis 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 Candis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American75.9% · 88
- White12.1% · 14
- Two or more races6.9% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Candis
Candis 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-21 bearers (-16.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 28,218 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+8 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,504 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-16.3%) | Down 28,218 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.4%) | Up 6,504 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 Candis 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 | #151,532 | #145,028 | 4.3% |
| Count | 108 | 116 | 7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Candis bearers went from 108 to 116 (+7.4% change). The surname moved up 6,504 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #145,028.
FAQ
Candis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Candis?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Candis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Candis?
Candis ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Candis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Candis.
Has Candis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Candis went from 108 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 8 (+7.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Candis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Candis, the largest self-reported group is Black at 75.9%. The next largest groups are White (12.1%) and Two or More Races (6.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Candis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.9% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Candis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (75.9%), White (12.1%), Two or More Races (6.9%). 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 Candis (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 Candis mean?
A surname derived from the French word "candis", meaning crystallized or candied. 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 Candis (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 have the surname Candis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.