2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Polatis
A Greek surname derived from the word "polis" meaning city or town.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Polatis. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Polatis 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Polatis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Polatis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Polatis
The surname Polatis has its origins in Greece, with records dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "polis," meaning "city," suggesting that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived in or came from a particular city or town.
One of the earliest known references to the name Polatis can be found in a manuscript from the Greek island of Crete, dated around 1450. This document mentions a certain Georgios Polatis, a merchant who traded goods between the island and the mainland.
In the late 16th century, the name Polatis began appearing in records from the Greek region of Thessaly. It is possible that the name was associated with the city of Larissa, which was a major center of trade and commerce during that time period.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Polatis became more widespread, with individuals bearing this name recorded in various parts of Greece, as well as in neighboring regions of the Ottoman Empire.
One notable figure from this era was Alexandros Polatis (1675-1742), a renowned scholar and philosopher who taught at the University of Athens. His writings on ancient Greek philosophy and literature were highly influential in the academic circles of his time.
Another significant individual was Katerina Polatis (1790-1856), a Greek revolutionary who played an active role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. She is remembered for her bravery and leadership in several battles, and her efforts to secure women's rights and education in the newly formed Greek state.
In the 19th century, the Polatis surname began to appear in records from other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and trade. For instance, there are records of a merchant named Ioannis Polatis (1825-1892) who settled in Marseille, France, and established a successful import-export business.
Towards the latter part of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, the Polatis name gained prominence in the United States, as Greek immigrants sought new opportunities in the New World. One notable figure from this era was Stavros Polatis (1865-1934), a Greek-American entrepreneur who founded a successful shipping company in New York City.
While the surname Polatis is not among the most common Greek surnames, it has a rich history and a significant presence in various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural influences of the Greek people over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Polatis
Among Census respondents with the surname Polatis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Polatis 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 Polatis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.5% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Polatis
Polatis 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
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+9 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,298 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 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.1%) | Up 6,298 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 Polatis 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 | #142,049 | 4.2% |
| Count | 111 | 120 | 8.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Polatis bearers went from 111 to 120 (+8.1% change). The surname moved up 6,298 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #142,049.
FAQ
Polatis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Polatis?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Polatis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Polatis?
Polatis ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Polatis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Polatis.
Has Polatis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Polatis went from 111 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 9 (+8.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Polatis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Polatis, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Polatis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.5% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Polatis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.5%), Hispanic (0.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Polatis (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 Polatis mean?
A Greek surname derived from the word "polis" meaning city or town. 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 Polatis (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 share the surname Polatis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.