2010
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Radov
A surname derived from a Slavic personal name meaning "joyful" or "glad".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Radov. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Radov 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Radov in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Radov, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Black (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Radov
The surname RADOV is of Russian origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions around Moscow and St. Petersburg, where it was initially spelled as "Radov" or "Radoff".
The name RADOV is derived from the Russian word "rad", which means "glad" or "joyful". This suggests that the name was likely given to individuals who exhibited a cheerful or happy demeanor, or perhaps to celebrate a joyous occasion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RADOV can be found in the archives of the Russian Orthodox Church from the late 1500s. The records mention a certain Grigory Radov, who was a prominent merchant in Moscow during that period.
In the 17th century, the RADOV surname gained prominence when Ivan Radov, a skilled blacksmith, was commissioned by Tsar Alexis I to forge weapons and armor for the Russian army. Ivan Radov's craftsmanship was highly regarded, and his descendants continued the family trade for generations.
During the reign of Peter the Great in the early 1700s, a notable figure named Andrei Radov served as a military commander and played a crucial role in the Northern War against Sweden. Andrei Radov's bravery and strategic leadership were celebrated, and he was awarded several honors.
In the literary realm, the 19th century saw the rise of the acclaimed Russian poet and playwright, Nikolai Radov. Born in 1825 and renowned for his lyrical compositions, Nikolai Radov's works were celebrated for their emotional depth and vivid imagery.
Another prominent individual bearing the RADOV surname was Ekaterina Radova, a pioneering female scientist who made significant contributions to the field of chemistry in the late 19th century. Radova's research focused on the study of organic compounds, and her work paved the way for future advancements in the field.
While the RADOV surname has its origins in Russia, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its historical roots and associations with joy, craftsmanship, military valor, literary excellence, and scientific achievement remain an integral part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Radov
Among Census respondents with the surname Radov, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Black (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Radov 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 Radov surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.5% · 100
- Two or more races6.0% · 7
- Black or African American5.1% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Radov
Radov 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
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-15 bearers (-11.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,223 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.4%) | Down 15,223 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 Radov 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 | #129,047 | #144,270 | -11.8% |
| Count | 132 | 117 | -11.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Radov bearers went from 132 to 117 (-11.4% change). The surname moved down 15,223 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #144,270.
FAQ
Radov surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Radov?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Radov. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Radov?
Radov ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Radov. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Radov.
Has Radov become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Radov went from 132 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Radov?
Among Census respondents with the surname Radov, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.0%) and Black (5.1%). 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 Radov in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.5% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Radov appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.5%), Two or More Races (6.0%), Black (5.1%). 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 Radov (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 Radov mean?
A surname derived from a Slavic personal name meaning "joyful" or "glad". 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 Radov (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 Americans have the surname Radov?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.