2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Canis
A surname derived from the Latin word for "dog".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Canis. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Canis 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Canis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Canis, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.9%) and Black (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Canis
The surname CANIS originated from the Latin word "canis" meaning "dog". It is believed to have first appeared in Italy during the Middle Ages, likely as a nickname or occupational name for someone who worked with dogs, such as a hunter or a dog breeder.
The earliest known record of the surname CANIS dates back to the 13th century in the city of Florence, where a man named Giovanni Canis was mentioned in a document from 1256. Another early reference can be found in the 14th century Estimo Veneto, a Venetian tax record, which lists a certain Matteo Canis from the village of Mestre.
During the Renaissance period, the surname CANIS gained some prominence in Italy, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such person was Gian Battista Canis (1515-1592), a renowned painter from Ferrara who was known for his religious artworks and frescoes.
In the 17th century, the surname CANIS spread to other parts of Europe, particularly in France and Spain. One notable bearer of this name was Pedro Canis (1634-1696), a Spanish poet and playwright from Madrid whose works were highly regarded during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
Another significant figure with the surname CANIS was Jean-Baptiste Canis (1770-1837), a French general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as the Governor of the Duchy of Parma.
Over the centuries, the surname CANIS has undergone various spelling variations, such as Cannis, Caniz, and Canisse, particularly in regions where languages other than Italian were spoken. Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names, such as the Italian town of Caniscio in the province of Avellino.
While the surname CANIS is not among the most common surnames today, it has left an enduring mark on history, particularly in the fields of art, literature, and military service. Its connection to the Latin word "canis" and its original association with dog-related occupations make it a unique and intriguing surname with a rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Canis
Among Census respondents with the surname Canis, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.9%) and Black (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Canis 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 Canis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.7% · 76
- Hispanic or Latino17.9% · 19
- Black or African American4.7% · 5
- Two or more races4.7% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Canis
Canis 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-15 bearers (-11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,381 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-6 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,086 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 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.8%) | Down 22,381 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 5,086 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 Canis 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 | #147,253 | #152,339 | -3.5% |
| Count | 112 | 106 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Canis bearers went from 112 to 106 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 5,086 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #152,339.
FAQ
Canis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Canis?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Canis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Canis?
Canis ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Canis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Canis.
Has Canis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Canis went from 112 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Canis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Canis, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.9%) and Black (4.7%). 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 Canis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.7% (76 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Canis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.7%), Hispanic (17.9%), Black (4.7%). 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 Canis (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 Canis mean?
A surname derived from the Latin word for "dog". 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 Canis (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 Canis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.