2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kitsis
A surname likely of Greek origin meaning "cherry" or "cherry tree".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Kitsis. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kitsis 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Kitsis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kitsis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kitsis
The surname KITSIS is believed to have originated in Greece, derived from the Greek word "katsi" which means a type of wild goat. It is likely that the name was initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who bore a resemblance to or had some association with this animal.
Historical records indicate that the surname KITSIS first appeared in written form in the late 15th century, primarily in regions of the Greek mainland such as Attica and the Peloponnese. One of the earliest documented instances of the name was found in a tax record from the village of Arachova in 1487, listing a certain Georgios KITSIS as a resident.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, including KITSIOS, KITSAS, and KATSIOS, reflecting regional linguistic variations and phonetic adaptations. The name also began to spread to other parts of the Greek world, including the islands of the Aegean Sea and the Greek communities of Asia Minor.
In the 18th century, the KITSIS surname gained prominence with the birth of Ioannis KITSIS (1727-1804), a renowned Greek scholar and educator who played a pivotal role in the Greek Enlightenment. His works on philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy were widely influential in the intellectual circles of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the KITSIS surname was Konstantinos KITSIS (1801-1869), a prominent Greek merchant and philanthropist from the island of Chios. He amassed considerable wealth through his trading enterprises and used his fortune to fund the construction of schools, churches, and other public works in his hometown.
In the 19th century, the name KITSIS could be found among the Greek diaspora communities that had settled in various parts of Europe and the Americas. One such individual was Petros KITSIS (1842-1912), a Greek immigrant to the United States who became a successful businessman and real estate developer in New York City.
As the 20th century dawned, the KITSIS surname continued to be represented in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts. One noteworthy bearer was Eleni KITSIS (1915-2001), a celebrated Greek actress and theater director who made significant contributions to the development of modern Greek drama.
Throughout its history, the surname KITSIS has maintained a strong presence in Greece and among the Greek diaspora, reflecting the enduring cultural heritage and diverse achievements of those who have carried this name across generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kitsis
Among Census respondents with the surname Kitsis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kitsis 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 Kitsis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kitsis
Kitsis 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
+6 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,385 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 129 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.5%) | Down 3,385 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 129 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 Kitsis 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 | #144,270 | -0.1% |
| Count | 115 | 117 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kitsis bearers went from 115 to 117 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 129 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #144,270.
FAQ
Kitsis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kitsis?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Kitsis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Kitsis?
Kitsis ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Kitsis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Kitsis.
Has Kitsis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kitsis went from 115 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Kitsis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kitsis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Kitsis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kitsis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Hispanic (3.4%), Black (1.7%). 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 Kitsis (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 Kitsis mean?
A surname likely of Greek origin meaning "cherry" or "cherry tree". 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 Kitsis (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 common is the surname Kitsis?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Kitsis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.