2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Matsas
A Greek surname derived from the word "matsa" meaning "muzzle" or "maw".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Matsas. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matsas 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Matsas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsas, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matsas
The surname Matsas has its origins in Greece, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Greek word "matsas," meaning "shepherd" or "herder." This connection suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in pastoral activities, tending to flocks of sheep or goats.
The name Matsas was initially concentrated in the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia, where sheep and goat herding were common occupations. Historical records from these areas have revealed variations in the spelling, such as Matsios, Matsiaris, and Matsaridis, reflecting local dialects and naming traditions.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the surname Matsas can be found in a tax register from the village of Kalambaka, located in central Greece, dated to the late 16th century. This record lists several individuals with the surname, indicating their presence in the region during that time period.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name Matsas was Konstantinos Matsas, a renowned shepherd and cheesemaker from the village of Trikala. His exceptional skills in producing feta cheese earned him recognition throughout the region, and his descendants continued in the family trade for generations.
During the 18th century, the Matsas surname appeared in various church records and property deeds across central and northern Greece, reflecting the gradual spread of the name. One notable individual from this era was Ioannis Matsas, a merchant from the city of Thessaloniki, who gained prominence for his successful trade in wool and textile products.
As the 19th century dawned, the Matsas surname became more widely dispersed, with individuals bearing the name found in various parts of Greece, as well as in neighboring countries like Bulgaria and Turkey, where Greek communities had settled. A notable figure from this period was Georgios Matsas, a renowned scholar and educator who established several schools in the city of Larissa.
In the early 20th century, Dimitrios Matsas, a renowned Greek politician and diplomat, played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the establishment of the modern borders of Greece after the Balkan Wars. His contributions to the country's political landscape and international relations have left a lasting impact.
These examples illustrate the long and diverse history of the surname Matsas, which has its roots in the pastoral traditions of ancient Greece and has since been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, scholars, politicians, and diplomats.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matsas
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsas, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Matsas 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 Matsas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matsas
Matsas appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 393 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 393 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 Matsas 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 | #148,347 | #147,954 | 0.3% |
| Count | 111 | 112 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matsas bearers went from 111 to 112 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 393 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #147,954.
FAQ
Matsas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matsas?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Matsas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Matsas?
Matsas ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Matsas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Matsas.
Has Matsas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matsas went from 111 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Matsas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matsas, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Matsas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matsas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (7.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Matsas (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 Matsas mean?
A Greek surname derived from the word "matsa" meaning "muzzle" or "maw". 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 Matsas (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 Matsas?
You can see how many people have the last name Matsas on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.