2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Maravelias
A Greek surname possibly derived from "marabou," an occupational name for someone who raised marabou storks for feathers.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Maravelias. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maravelias 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Maravelias in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maravelias, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maravelias
The surname MARAVELIAS is of Greek origin, with its roots traced back to the late Byzantine period and the early years of the Ottoman Empire. It is believed to have originated from the Greek word "maraviglia," which means "marvel" or "wonder," suggesting a possible connection to a remarkable individual or event.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MARAVELIAS surname can be found in the archives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, dating back to the 16th century. These records mention a merchant named Ioannis MARAVELIAS, who was engaged in trade between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetian Republic.
During the 18th century, the MARAVELIAS name appears in various documents from the Ionian Islands, particularly on the island of Kefalonia. It is speculated that members of the family may have migrated from the mainland to the islands during this period, seeking new opportunities or fleeing from political turmoil.
In the 19th century, the MARAVELIAS name gained prominence with the birth of Konstantinos MARAVELIAS (1825-1892), a renowned Greek scholar and educator. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of modern Greek education and was instrumental in the preservation of the Greek language and culture during the Ottoman occupation.
Another notable figure was Georgios MARAVELIAS (1865-1932), a prominent Greek politician and diplomat. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greece and represented his country in various international forums, including the League of Nations.
During the early 20th century, the MARAVELIAS family continued to make significant contributions to Greek society. Eleni MARAVELIAS (1901-1978) was a pioneering Greek feminist and writer who advocated for women's rights and social reforms.
In more recent times, the MARAVELIAS surname has gained recognition in the field of athletics. Dimitrios MARAVELIAS (born 1976) is a former professional basketball player who represented the Greek national team and played for several clubs in Europe.
While the MARAVELIAS surname may have evolved through various spellings and regional variations over the centuries, its Greek origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maravelias
Among Census respondents with the surname Maravelias, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Maravelias 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 Maravelias surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maravelias
Maravelias 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
+7 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,353 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 887 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 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 2,353 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 887 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 Maravelias 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 | #145,028 | -0.6% |
| Count | 115 | 116 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maravelias bearers went from 115 to 116 (+0.9% change). The surname moved down 887 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #145,028.
FAQ
Maravelias surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maravelias?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Maravelias. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Maravelias?
Maravelias ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Maravelias. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Maravelias.
Has Maravelias become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maravelias went from 115 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Maravelias?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maravelias, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Maravelias in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maravelias appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Maravelias (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 Maravelias mean?
A Greek surname possibly derived from "marabou," an occupational name for someone who raised marabou storks for feathers. 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 Maravelias (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 Maravelias?
See how many people are called Maravelias on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.