2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Simotas
A Greek surname originally indicating someone who lived near the seashore.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Simotas. 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 Simotas 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 Simotas 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 Simotas, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Simotas
The surname SIMOTAS is of Greek origin, originating from the island of Crete. It can be traced back to the late 15th century during the Venetian rule over the island. The name is believed to be derived from the Greek word "Simota," which means "sign" or "mark."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SIMOTAS name can be found in the Venetian archives of Crete, where a certain Petros SIMOTAS is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Kydonia (modern-day Chania) in the year 1492. It is possible that the name was initially used to identify a family or individual who had a distinct physical mark or characteristic.
In the 16th century, the SIMOTAS name appears in several manuscripts and records from the Greek Orthodox Church in Crete. This suggests that the family had established itself on the island and was actively involved in the local community and religious affairs.
During the Ottoman rule over Crete in the 17th and 18th centuries, the SIMOTAS name can be found in various tax registers and census records. This indicates that the family maintained its presence on the island despite the changing political landscape.
One notable figure bearing the SIMOTAS name was Georgios SIMOTAS (1745-1818), a Greek merchant and trader who lived in the city of Rethymno, Crete. He was known for his successful trading ventures and his involvement in the local community.
Another prominent individual was Konstantinos SIMOTAS (1820-1895), a Greek scholar and teacher from the village of Archanes, near Heraklion, Crete. He was renowned for his contributions to the education system and the preservation of Greek culture and traditions.
In the 19th century, the SIMOTAS name can be found in various records from the Greek diaspora, indicating that members of the family had migrated to other parts of the world, possibly due to economic or political reasons.
One such example is Ioannis SIMOTAS (1875-1942), a Greek immigrant who settled in the United States and became a successful businessman in the city of New York.
As the centuries passed, the SIMOTAS name continued to be carried by individuals of Greek descent, both in Greece and in various diaspora communities around the world. While the name may have undergone slight variations in spelling or pronunciation over time, its roots can be traced back to the island of Crete and the rich cultural heritage of the Greek people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Simotas
Among Census respondents with the surname Simotas, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Simotas 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 Simotas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 7
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Simotas
Simotas 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
+19 bearers (+18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 17,663 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +19 bearers (+18.8%) | Up 17,663 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 Simotas 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 | #159,712 | #142,049 | 11.1% |
| Count | 101 | 120 | 18.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 33.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Simotas bearers went from 101 to 120 (+18.8% change). The surname moved up 17,663 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #142,049.
FAQ
Simotas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Simotas?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Simotas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Simotas?
Simotas 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 Simotas. 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 Simotas.
Has Simotas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Simotas went from 101 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 19 (+18.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Simotas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Simotas, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Simotas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Simotas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Hispanic (5.8%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Simotas (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 Simotas mean?
A Greek surname originally indicating someone who lived near the seashore. 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 Simotas (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 Simotas?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.