2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kougias
An Anglicized form of a Greek surname likely derived from a topographic name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Kougias. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kougias 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Kougias in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kougias, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kougias
The surname Kougias has its origins in Greece, tracing back to the late 19th century. It is believed to have derived from the Greek word "kougios," meaning "baker" or "pastry chef." This suggests that the name likely originated from a family involved in the baking trade or profession.
One of the earliest known references to the name Kougias can be found in historical records from the island of Crete, where it was commonly used among Greek families in the region. The name's spelling has remained relatively consistent throughout its history, with only minor variations in some instances.
In the late 19th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname Kougias was Panagiotis Kougias, a Greek merchant and philanthropist born in 1842 in the village of Archanes, Crete. He made significant contributions to the local community, financing the construction of schools and churches.
Another notable individual with this surname was Konstantinos Kougias, a Greek writer and journalist who lived from 1879 to 1968. He was born in the town of Rethymno, Crete, and was known for his works that explored the cultural traditions and folklore of the island.
In the early 20th century, Georgios Kougias (1892-1976) gained recognition as a prominent Greek architect. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Athens, including the National Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center.
Yiannis Kougias (1920-1998), a Greek artist and sculptor, also left a significant mark in the art world. His works, often inspired by ancient Greek mythology and folklore, can be found in museums and galleries across Greece.
During the mid-20th century, Eleni Kougias (1927-2015) made her mark as a respected Greek academic and researcher in the field of anthropology. Her studies focused on the cultural traditions and customs of various Greek communities, contributing valuable insights into the country's rich heritage.
While the surname Kougias has its roots in Greece, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora communities. However, the name's origins and historical significance remain closely tied to its Greek heritage and the cultural traditions of the regions where it first emerged.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kougias
Among Census respondents with the surname Kougias, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Kougias 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 Kougias surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 117
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kougias
Kougias 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+4 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,353 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 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.5%) | Up 1,353 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 Kougias 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 | #142,788 | 0.9% |
| Count | 115 | 119 | 3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kougias bearers went from 115 to 119 (+3.5% change). The surname moved up 1,353 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #142,788.
FAQ
Kougias surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kougias?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Kougias. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Kougias?
Kougias ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Kougias. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Kougias.
Has Kougias become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kougias went from 115 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 4 (+3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #144,141 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Kougias?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kougias, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Kougias in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kougias appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Kougias (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 Kougias mean?
An Anglicized form of a Greek surname likely derived from a topographic name. 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 Kougias (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 have the last name Kougias?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Kougias on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.