2000
#100,194
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 167
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Theodos
A Greek surname derived from an ancestral name meaning "gift of God."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Theodos. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Theodos 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Theodos in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Theodos, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and Hispanic (6.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Theodos
The surname Theodos is of Greek origin and has its roots dating back to ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "Theodoros," which means "gift of God." This name was quite popular in ancient Greek civilization, and it was often given to children as a way of expressing gratitude to the divine.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Theodos can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire, where it was commonly used among the Greek population. It is worth noting that during this period, the spelling of the name varied, with some records showing it as "Theodosios" or "Theodoros."
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Theodos was Theodosios I, also known as Theodosius the Great (347-395 AD). He was a Roman Emperor who played a crucial role in the Christianization of the Roman Empire and the establishment of Christianity as the dominant religion.
Another prominent figure with the surname Theodos was Theodosios II (401-450 AD), who was the son of Arcadius and the grandson of Theodosius the Great. He ruled as the Byzantine Emperor from 408 to 450 AD and was known for his efforts in strengthening the empire's defenses and promoting the codification of Roman law.
During the medieval period, the name Theodos continued to be used among Greek populations, particularly in regions that were part of the Byzantine Empire. One notable individual from this era was Theodoros Laskaris (1174-1222), who was the first Emperor of the Empire of Nicaea, a successor state to the Byzantine Empire.
In the Renaissance period, the name Theodos was still present, albeit with different spellings. For example, Theodorus Gaza (c. 1398-1478) was a prominent Greek scholar and translator who played a significant role in the revival of classical Greek literature in Western Europe.
As the centuries passed, the name Theodos spread across various regions, particularly in areas with Greek influence or populations. It is worth mentioning that the name was also adopted by other cultures, sometimes with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Theodos
Among Census respondents with the surname Theodos, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and Hispanic (6.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Theodos 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 Theodos surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.2% · 97
- Two or more races10.2% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Theodos
Theodos 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
#120,901
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 143
-24 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 20,707 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-25 bearers (-17.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,610 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #100,194 | 167 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #120,901 | 143 | 0.05 | -24 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 20,707 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -25 bearers (-17.5%) | Down 22,610 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 Theodos 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 | #120,901 | #143,511 | -18.7% |
| Count | 143 | 118 | -17.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Theodos bearers went from 143 to 118 (-17.5% change). The surname moved down 22,610 positions in the national ranking, going from #120,901 to #143,511.
FAQ
Theodos surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Theodos?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Theodos. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Theodos?
Theodos ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Theodos. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Theodos.
Has Theodos become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Theodos went from 143 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 25 (-17.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #120,901 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Theodos?
Among Census respondents with the surname Theodos, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.2%) and Hispanic (6.8%). 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 Theodos in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Theodos appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.2%), Two or More Races (10.2%), Hispanic (6.8%). 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 Theodos (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 Theodos mean?
A Greek surname derived from an ancestral name meaning "gift of God." 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 Theodos (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 Theodos?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.