Delos last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Delos is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Delos.

Meaning of Delos

A surname of Greek origin meaning "visible" or "brilliant".

Delos, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Delos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Delos in America

Delos is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Delos surname appeared 269 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Delos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Delos to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 72332 112365 -43.35%
Count 269 145 59.90%
Proportion per 100k 0.09 0.05 57.14%

The history of the last name Delos

The surname DELOS finds its origins traced back to ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek island of Delos, one of the most sacred and significant locations in the Cycladic archipelago. The name is closely tied to Greek mythology, as Delos was revered as the birthplace of the gods Apollo and Artemis.

In ancient times, the island of Delos held immense religious and cultural significance. It was considered a sacred sanctuary and a major center of worship for the Greek pantheon. The surname DELOS likely emerged as a way to honor or commemorate one's connection to this hallowed island or its associated deities.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DELOS can be traced back to the Byzantine era, where it appeared in various historical documents and manuscripts. One notable figure bearing this name was Demetrios Delos, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century. His works on metaphysics and theology were highly influential during that period.

As the surname spread throughout the Mediterranean region, it evolved into various spelling variations, such as Delos, Dellios, and Dellous. These variations reflect the linguistic and cultural influences of different regions where the name took root.

In the 15th century, a notable bearer of the DELOS surname was Georgios Delos, a Greek merchant and explorer who ventured into the Ottoman-controlled territories of the Balkans. His travels and trade endeavors contributed to the dissemination of the name throughout the region.

Another prominent figure was Nikolaos Delos, a Greek theologian and writer who lived in the 16th century. He authored several works on religious doctrine and played a significant role in the intellectual discussions of his time.

During the 17th century, the DELOS surname gained prominence in Italy, where a branch of the family settled. Among the notable Italians bearing this name was Antonio Delos, a skilled architect and engineer who contributed to the design and construction of several iconic buildings in Rome and Naples.

In the 19th century, a French explorer named Pierre Delos embarked on expeditions to the Pacific Islands, contributing to the study and exploration of these remote regions. His accounts and findings were widely published, further spreading the name across Europe.

Throughout its long history, the surname DELOS has maintained a strong connection to its Greek roots and the legacy of the ancient island from which it originated. Its bearers have left their mark across various fields, including academia, arts, exploration, and religion, carrying the name's rich cultural heritage forward.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Delos

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Delos.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Delos was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 37.92% 102
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 8.18% 22
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.60% 7
Hispanic Origin 50.56% 136

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Delos has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 37.92% 70.34% -59.89%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 8.18% 3.45% 81.34%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.60% 4.14% -45.70%
Hispanic 50.56% 20.69% 83.85%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Delos was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Delos, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Delos last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 10, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/delos-surname-popularity/.

"Delos last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/delos-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 May, 2025

Delos last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/delos-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.