2000
#46,758
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 428
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.16
Very Rare Last name
Xenakis
A surname of Greek origin meaning "stranger" or "foreigner".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 583 Americans carry the last name Xenakis. That puts it at #45,381 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 587,915 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xenakis 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
583
1 in 587,915
Census rank
#45,381
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
508
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 508 bearers of the surname Xenakis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45381st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xenakis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xenakis
The surname Xenakis has its origins in Greece, specifically from the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. The name's earliest roots can be traced to the Greek word "xenos," meaning "foreigner" or "stranger," which was often used to describe someone who was new to a particular community. The suffix "-akis" is a diminutive form common in Cretan surnames, indicating "small" or "son of." As a result, Xenakis roughly translates to "little stranger" or "son of the stranger."
Historically, the name Xenakis appears in various records from the Byzantine period, around the 10th and 11th centuries. During this time, Greek names were often documented in official manuscripts and archives. One such reference is found in a 12th-century manuscript discussing land ownership and population settlements in Crete. Although specific individuals were not always named, the presence of the suffix "-akis" in surnames like Xenakis was already noticeable in these documents.
The earliest recorded example of the name Xenakis dates back to the late 14th century, when an individual named Ioannis Xenakis is mentioned in Venetian records. Ioannis was a landowner in Crete, and the documents pertain to land disputes and tax records from the year 1387.
In the 15th century, the name appears again in the Venetian Census of Crete, which listed George Xenakis as a local merchant. George was born in 1423 and lived during a time when Crete was under Venetian rule. His name appears in several trade documents, indicating his involvement in commerce and the local economy.
Another notable figure is Andreas Xenakis, born in 1750, who was a prominent member of the Filiki Eteria, a secret society that played a crucial role in initiating the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821. Andreas' contributions to the cause are documented in various historical texts about the revolution.
In the 19th century, Eleftherios Xenakis, born in 1860, became a well-known politician in Crete. He participated in the Cretan Revolt of 1897 against Ottoman rule and later became a key figure in the movement for the union of Crete with Greece. His efforts are chronicled in several historical records and writings on Cretan history.
Finally, the most famous bearer of the name is Iannis Xenakis, a renowned composer and architect who was born in 1922 and passed away in 2001. Iannis Xenakis is celebrated for his innovative compositions that blended music with mathematical concepts and for his significant contributions to architectural theory. His works and legacy continue to be influential in both fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xenakis
Among Census respondents with the surname Xenakis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Xenakis 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 Xenakis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 473
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 17
- Two or more races2.0% · 10
- Black or African American1.0% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xenakis
Xenakis 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
#46,138
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 462
+34 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 620 places
2020
#45,381
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 508
+46 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 757 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #46,758 | 428 | 0.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #46,138 | 462 | 0.16 | +34 bearers (+7.9%) | Up 620 places |
| 2020 | #45,381 | 508 | 0.17 | +46 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 757 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 Xenakis 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 | #46,138 | #45,381 | 1.6% |
| Count | 462 | 508 | 10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.16 | 0.17 | 6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xenakis bearers went from 462 to 508 (+10.0% change). The surname moved up 757 positions in the national ranking, going from #46,138 to #45,381.
FAQ
Xenakis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xenakis?
Name Census estimates that about 583 living Americans carry the surname Xenakis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 587,915 residents.
How common is Xenakis?
Xenakis ranks #45,381 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 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 508 people with the surname Xenakis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (583), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 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 Xenakis.
Has Xenakis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xenakis went from 462 recorded bearers to 508. That is an increase of 46 (+10.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #46,138 to #45,381.
What does the Census say about the background of Xenakis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xenakis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Xenakis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (473 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xenakis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Xenakis (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 Xenakis mean?
A surname of Greek origin meaning "stranger" or "foreigner". 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 Xenakis (0.17 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 people are called Xenakis?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Xenakis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.