2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pellas
Greek surname potentially derived from the Greek word "pella" meaning "stone" or "rock".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Pellas. 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 Pellas 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 Pellas 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 Pellas, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (19.0%) and Hispanic (10.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pellas
The surname PELLAS is of Greek origin, derived from the ancient Greek word "pellas," which means "foreigner" or "outsider." This name first appeared in the region of ancient Greece around the 5th century BCE.
The earliest recorded instances of the name PELLAS can be traced back to ancient Greek manuscripts and records from the Classical period. One notable example is the mention of a Pellas of Sicyon, a Greek statesman and military leader who lived in the 4th century BCE.
During the Byzantine era, the name PELLAS was also found in various historical documents and records, particularly in regions with a strong Greek cultural influence, such as Constantinople and parts of Asia Minor.
In the Middle Ages, the name PELLAS appeared in various forms, including Pellas, Pelles, and Pellaz, in regions with Greek populations or influence, such as Sicily and parts of southern Italy.
One notable bearer of the PELLAS surname was Theodoros Pellas, a Greek artist and painter who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (1860-1939). He was known for his portraiture and landscapes, and his works can be found in various museums and galleries in Greece.
Another prominent individual with the PELLAS surname was Georgios Pellas, a Greek politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greece in the early 20th century (1878-1951).
The PELLAS surname can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, such as France and Spain, where it may have been introduced through Greek settlers or traders.
One notable French figure with the PELLAS surname was Jean-Baptiste Pellas, a French painter and engraver who lived in the 18th century (1726-1801). He is known for his portraits and historical paintings, many of which are housed in museums across France.
In Spain, the PELLAS surname can be traced back to the 16th century, with records indicating individuals with this name residing in various regions, including Catalonia and Andalusia.
While the PELLAS surname has its roots in ancient Greece, it has since spread across various parts of the world, including Europe, the Americas, and Australia, due to migration and cultural exchange over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pellas
Among Census respondents with the surname Pellas, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (19.0%) and Hispanic (10.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Pellas 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 Pellas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White66.4% · 77
- Asian and Pacific Islander19.0% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino10.3% · 12
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pellas
Pellas 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,544 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+7 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,424 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 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 5,544 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.4%) | Up 5,424 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 Pellas 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 | #150,452 | #145,028 | 3.6% |
| Count | 109 | 116 | 6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pellas bearers went from 109 to 116 (+6.4% change). The surname moved up 5,424 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #145,028.
FAQ
Pellas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pellas?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Pellas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Pellas?
Pellas 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 Pellas. 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 Pellas.
Has Pellas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pellas went from 109 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 7 (+6.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Pellas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pellas, the largest self-reported group is White at 66.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (19.0%) and Hispanic (10.3%). 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 Pellas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 66.4% (77 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pellas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (66.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (19.0%), Hispanic (10.3%). 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 Pellas (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 Pellas mean?
Greek surname potentially derived from the Greek word "pella" meaning "stone" or "rock". 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 Pellas (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 Pellas?
See how many people are called Pellas on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.