2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Valsamis
Greek surname possibly meaning "tree resin" or derived from a placename.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Valsamis. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Valsamis 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Valsamis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Valsamis, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Valsamis
The surname Valsamis has its origins in Greece, dating back to the Byzantine era. It is believed to have been derived from the Greek word "valsamis," which means "balsam tree" or "resin from a balsam tree." This suggests that the name may have originated from a region known for the cultivation or trade of balsam trees or their products.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Valsamis can be found in the Codex Coislinianus, a 7th-century Greek manuscript containing various works, including the writings of the ancient historian Polybius. This manuscript mentions an individual named Valsamis, though little is known about their specific identity or role.
During the medieval period, the name Valsamis appears to have been concentrated primarily in the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace. Historical records from this time, such as tax registers and land deeds, occasionally mention individuals bearing this surname, indicating its continued use and presence in the region.
One notable historical figure with the surname Valsamis was Ioannis Valsamis, a Greek scholar and philosopher who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his writings on theology and his contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time. Another individual of note was Georgios Valsamis, a Greek merchant and diplomat who lived in the 16th century and played a role in facilitating trade relations between the Ottoman Empire and Venice.
In the 18th century, the Valsamis surname was found among the Greek communities in the Venetian-controlled Ionian Islands. Records from this period indicate the presence of individuals with this surname, such as Petros Valsamis, a merchant and landowner on the island of Corfu, who lived from 1720 to 1795.
As the centuries progressed, the Valsamis surname spread beyond its original Greek regions, with individuals bearing this name appearing in various parts of Europe and the Mediterranean. For example, in the 19th century, a notable figure was Konstantinos Valsamis, a Greek-born writer and journalist who lived in Egypt from 1833 to 1902 and contributed to the cultural and literary scene of the Greek diaspora in that country.
While the surname Valsamis has its roots in the Greek language and culture, it has since been carried by individuals across different regions and nationalities, reflecting the migration and dispersal of Greek communities throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Valsamis
Among Census respondents with the surname Valsamis, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Valsamis 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 Valsamis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.9% · 81
- Hispanic or Latino19.2% · 20
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Valsamis
Valsamis 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,139 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,644 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,139 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 3,644 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 Valsamis 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 | #157,234 | #153,590 | 2.3% |
| Count | 103 | 104 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 16.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Valsamis bearers went from 103 to 104 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,644 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #153,590.
FAQ
Valsamis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Valsamis?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Valsamis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Valsamis?
Valsamis ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Valsamis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Valsamis.
Has Valsamis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Valsamis went from 103 recorded bearers to 104. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Valsamis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Valsamis, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Valsamis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.9% (81 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Valsamis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.9%), Hispanic (19.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Valsamis (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 Valsamis mean?
Greek surname possibly meaning "tree resin" or derived from a placename. 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 Valsamis (0.03 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 Valsamis?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.