2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Tanev
A surname of Bulgarian origin, possibly derived from the word "tan" meaning slender or thin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Tanev. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tanev 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Tanev in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tanev, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tanev
The surname Tanev originates from Bulgaria, tracing its roots back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Bulgarian word "tanen," meaning "thin" or "slender." This name may have been initially bestowed upon an individual with a thin or slender physique.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Tanev can be found in ancient church records and census documents from the regions of Plovdiv and Sofia in Bulgaria. One notable mention is in a manuscript dated 1387, which lists a certain Ivan Tanev as a landowner in the village of Breznik.
In the 16th century, the name Tanev appeared in several historical documents, including a tax register from 1576 that recorded a Petko Tanev as a resident of the town of Koprivshtitsa. This town was known for its thriving textile industry, and it is possible that the Tanev family played a role in this craft.
During the 19th century, the Tanev surname gained prominence with the birth of Petko Rachev Tanev (1828-1903), a prominent Bulgarian educator and writer. He founded several schools and authored numerous textbooks, contributing significantly to the development of modern Bulgarian education.
Another notable figure was Stoyan Tanev (1869-1923), a Bulgarian revolutionary and politician who played a crucial role in the struggle for Bulgarian independence from the Ottoman Empire. He served as a member of the Bulgarian National Assembly and was a passionate advocate for social reforms.
In the 20th century, Vasil Tanev (1899-1967) made a name for himself as a renowned Bulgarian sculptor and artist. His works, which often depicted Bulgarian folklore and traditions, can be found in various museums and public spaces throughout the country.
Georgi Tanev (1934-2021) was a celebrated Bulgarian actor and director, known for his contributions to the country's theater scene. He received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Askeer Award for his lifetime achievements in the performing arts.
The Tanev surname continues to be prevalent in Bulgaria, with many individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields, including academia, arts, and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tanev
Among Census respondents with the surname Tanev, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Tanev 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 Tanev surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 102
- Two or more races5.5% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tanev
Tanev 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
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+8 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,507 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 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.9%) | Up 9,507 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 Tanev 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 | #150,205 | 6.0% |
| Count | 101 | 109 | 7.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 21.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tanev bearers went from 101 to 109 (+7.9% change). The surname moved up 9,507 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #150,205.
FAQ
Tanev surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tanev?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Tanev. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Tanev?
Tanev ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Tanev. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Tanev.
Has Tanev become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tanev went from 101 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 8 (+7.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Tanev?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tanev, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Tanev in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tanev appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Two or More Races (5.5%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Tanev (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 Tanev mean?
A surname of Bulgarian origin, possibly derived from the word "tan" meaning slender or thin. 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 Tanev (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 Tanev?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.