2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Illyes
A Hungarian surname derived from the biblical name Elijah.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Illyes. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Illyes 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Illyes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Illyes, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Illyes
The surname ILLYES is of Hungarian origin, with its roots tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Hungarian given name Illés, which itself is a variation of the biblical name Elijah. The name Illyes is predominantly found in regions of Hungary, particularly in the central and eastern parts of the country.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ILLYES surname can be found in the Hungarian archives dating back to the late 16th century. In a document from 1587, a certain Mihály ILLYES is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Mezőkeresztes, located in what is now the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county.
During the 17th century, the ILLYES surname appears to have gained further prominence. In 1642, a nobleman named Péter ILLYES was granted a coat of arms by the Hungarian King Ferdinand III, recognizing his service to the crown. This coat of arms featured a golden lion rampant on a blue field, symbolizing strength and courage.
The 18th century saw the emergence of notable figures bearing the ILLYES surname. István ILLYES (1695-1772) was a renowned Hungarian Catholic priest and theologian who served as the Bishop of Vác from 1737 until his death. His writings on theology and philosophy were widely studied in academic circles of the time.
In the 19th century, the ILLYES surname was associated with several influential individuals. János ILLYES (1803-1875) was a Hungarian politician and lawyer who played a pivotal role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. He served as a member of the revolutionary government and was a vocal advocate for Hungarian independence.
Another notable figure from this period was Sándor ILLYES (1825-1897), a Hungarian poet and writer who was a prominent figure in the literary circles of Budapest. His works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and Hungarian identity, earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated following.
As the 20th century dawned, the ILLYES surname continued to be carried by individuals who made significant contributions to various fields. Gyula ILLYES (1902-1983) was a celebrated Hungarian author and poet, known for his works that portrayed the struggles and resilience of the Hungarian peasantry. He was awarded the prestigious Kossuth Prize in 1951 for his literary achievements.
In more recent times, notable individuals with the ILLYES surname include Károly ILLYES (born 1952), a Hungarian diplomat who has served as the Ambassador of Hungary to several countries, including the United States and Russia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Illyes
Among Census respondents with the surname Illyes, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Illyes 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 Illyes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.2% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Illyes
Illyes 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,840 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 962 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,840 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 962 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 Illyes 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 | #152,628 | #153,590 | -0.6% |
| Count | 107 | 104 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Illyes bearers went from 107 to 104 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 962 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #153,590.
FAQ
Illyes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Illyes?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Illyes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Illyes?
Illyes ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Illyes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Illyes.
Has Illyes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Illyes went from 107 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Illyes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Illyes, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Illyes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.2% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Illyes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.2%), Hispanic (3.8%). 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 Illyes (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 Illyes mean?
A Hungarian surname derived from the biblical name Elijah. 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 Illyes (0.03 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 Illyes?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.