2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kotsakis
An occupational surname from Greek referring to one who works with stones or masonry.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Kotsakis. 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 Kotsakis 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 Kotsakis 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 Kotsakis, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kotsakis
The surname Kotsakis originates from Greece, with roots dating back to the Byzantine era. It is believed to have derived from the Greek word "kotsaki," which means a small bun or a small loaf of bread. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with bakers or those involved in the production of bread.
During the Byzantine period, surnames were often based on occupations, physical characteristics, or places of origin. The earliest recorded instance of the name Kotsakis can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in a manuscript from the Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, a significant center of Byzantine culture and learning.
In the 16th century, the Kotsakis name was found in various historical records from the Peloponnese region of Greece, particularly in the areas around Sparta and Kalamata. This suggests that the name may have originated or gained prominence in these regions during that time period.
One notable figure bearing the Kotsakis surname was Ioannis Kotsakis, a Greek scholar and writer who lived in the late 18th century (1748-1821). He was known for his contributions to the Greek Enlightenment movement and his efforts to promote education and literacy among the Greek population.
Another prominent individual with the Kotsakis surname was Alexandros Kotsakis (1885-1960), a Greek military officer who played a significant role in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and was awarded several honors for his service.
In the realm of literature, Konstantinos Kotsakis (1904-1987) was a respected Greek poet and writer. He was particularly known for his works that explored the themes of love, nature, and the human experience.
Georgios Kotsakis (1920-2001) was a renowned Greek archaeologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek pottery and ceramics. His research shed light on the production techniques and cultural significance of these artifacts.
Lastly, Nikos Kotsakis (born 1957) is a contemporary Greek painter and artist whose works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. His unique style and use of vivid colors have earned him recognition in the international art community.
While the Kotsakis surname may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals who have left their mark across various fields, including academia, military, literature, archaeology, and the arts, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Greece.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kotsakis
Among Census respondents with the surname Kotsakis, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Kotsakis 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 Kotsakis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kotsakis
Kotsakis 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
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,497 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 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 6,497 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 Kotsakis 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 Kotsakis 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
Kotsakis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kotsakis?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Kotsakis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Kotsakis?
Kotsakis 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 Kotsakis. 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 Kotsakis.
Has Kotsakis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kotsakis 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 Kotsakis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kotsakis, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Kotsakis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kotsakis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Kotsakis (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 Kotsakis mean?
An occupational surname from Greek referring to one who works with stones or masonry. 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 Kotsakis (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 Kotsakis?
Find out how many people are called Kotsakis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.