2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Foundas
A surname derived from the Greek word "funda" meaning tavern or inn.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Foundas. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Foundas 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Foundas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Foundas, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Foundas
The surname Foundas has its origins in Greece, tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "fountas," which means "furnace" or "oven." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who worked as bakers or in professions related to ovens or furnaces.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Foundas can be found in historical documents from the island of Crete, where a man named Georgios Foundas was mentioned as a landowner in the village of Anogeia in the late 1400s. This reference provides insight into the name's presence in the region during that time period.
In the 16th century, the name Foundas appeared in various manuscripts and records from the Greek mainland. One notable mention is found in a legal document from the city of Thessaloniki, where a merchant named Dimitrios Foundas was involved in a trade dispute in 1532. This suggests that individuals with the surname were actively engaged in commerce and business activities during that era.
As the centuries progressed, the Foundas name continued to be associated with various prominent figures. In the late 18th century, a scholar named Konstantinos Foundas (1730-1795) gained recognition for his contributions to the field of philosophy and his teachings at the prestigious Patriarchal Academy in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).
During the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire (1821-1832), a military commander named Alexandros Foundas (1790-1862) played a significant role in leading rebel forces from the island of Crete. His bravery and strategic leadership earned him a place in the annals of Greek history.
Another notable individual was the poet and writer Panagiotis Foundas (1825-1891), whose works were influential in shaping modern Greek literature. His poems and essays explored themes of national identity and the struggle for independence, resonating with the spirit of the times.
In more recent history, the name Foundas has been associated with various professionals and public figures. For instance, Michalis Foundas (1920-2005) was a prominent Greek lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Hellenic Parliament for several terms in the latter half of the 20th century.
While the surname Foundas may not be as widely known as some other Greek names, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from military leadership and academia to literature and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Foundas
Among Census respondents with the surname Foundas, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Foundas 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 Foundas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Foundas
Foundas 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+10 bearers (+9.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 767 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-4 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,524 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.5%) | Up 767 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.5%) | Down 4,524 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 Foundas 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 | #144,141 | #148,665 | -3.1% |
| Count | 115 | 111 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Foundas bearers went from 115 to 111 (-3.5% change). The surname moved down 4,524 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #148,665.
FAQ
Foundas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Foundas?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Foundas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Foundas?
Foundas ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Foundas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Foundas.
Has Foundas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Foundas went from 115 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Foundas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Foundas, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (1.8%). 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 Foundas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Foundas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Hispanic (4.5%), Black (1.8%). 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 Foundas (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 Foundas mean?
A surname derived from the Greek word "funda" meaning tavern or inn. 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 Foundas (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 share the surname Foundas?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.