2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zafiris
A surname of Greek origin meaning "sapphire" or "precious stone".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 165 Americans carry the last name Zafiris. That puts it at #125,089 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,077,299 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zafiris 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
165
1 in 2,077,299
Census rank
#125,089
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
144
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 144 bearers of the surname Zafiris in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 125089th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zafiris, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.9%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zafiris
The surname Zafiris can be traced back to Greece, where its origins are deeply rooted in the Greek language and culture. The name is believed to have originated during the Byzantine Era, around the 10th to 12th centuries. It is derived from the Greek word "zafiros," which means sapphire, a precious gemstone. This connection likely denotes qualities of rarity, beauty, and value, which were significant to families bearing the name.
Initially, the surname Zafiris was concentrated in the Peloponnese region, particularly in the area around Sparta. Over time, it spread throughout Greece and into areas under Byzantine influence. One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in manuscripts from monasteries in Mount Athos, dating back to the late 13th century. These records mention a monk by the name of Ioannis Zafiris, who lived and documented his experiences in a series of religious texts.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the Chronicles of the Morea, an important medieval Greek text that details the history of the Peloponnese during the Frankish period. Here, Alexandros Zafiris is noted as a local landowner and warrior who played a role in regional conflicts between the Byzantine Greeks and the Franks. This historical figure is believed to have been born around 1420 and died approximately in 1480.
By the 17th century, the Zafiris surname had established itself in the societal and economic fabric of various Greek cities, such as Athens and Thessaloniki. A notable individual from this period is Dimitrios Zafiris, an influential merchant born in 1645. He became well-known for his trade connections between Greece and the Venetian territories, significantly contributing to the regional economy before his death in 1702.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Zafiris appears in the context of the Greek War of Independence. Nikolaos Zafiris, born in 1798, was a fervent supporter of the revolutionary cause and fought bravely in several key battles. His participation in the struggle for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire solidified the name's association with patriotism and valor.
The latter part of the 19th century saw the name Zafiris linked to the burgeoning educational and cultural renaissance in Greece. Eleni Zafiris, born in 1856, became one of the first women to be recognized for her contributions to Greek literature and education. She published numerous essays and poems advocating for women's rights and education, marking her as a pioneering figure before her death in 1923.
Throughout its history, the surname Zafiris has retained a strong connection to Greek culture, embodying values of beauty, dignity, and resilience. The name continues to be a testament to the family's historical and cultural contributions, resonating through the centuries as a symbol of Greek heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zafiris
Among Census respondents with the surname Zafiris, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.9%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zafiris 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 Zafiris surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.9% · 141
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zafiris
Zafiris 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
#126,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
+7 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 2,704 places
2020
#125,089
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
+8 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 929 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,018 | 136 | 0.05 | +7 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 2,704 places |
| 2020 | #125,089 | 144 | 0.05 | +8 bearers (+5.9%) | Up 929 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 Zafiris 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 | #126,018 | #125,089 | 0.7% |
| Count | 136 | 144 | 5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zafiris bearers went from 136 to 144 (+5.9% change). The surname moved up 929 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,018 to #125,089.
FAQ
Zafiris surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zafiris?
Name Census estimates that about 165 living Americans carry the surname Zafiris. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,077,299 residents.
How common is Zafiris?
Zafiris ranks #125,089 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 144 people with the surname Zafiris. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (165), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Zafiris.
Has Zafiris become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zafiris went from 136 recorded bearers to 144. That is an increase of 8 (+5.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #126,018 to #125,089.
What does the Census say about the background of Zafiris?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zafiris, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.9%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Zafiris in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.9% (141 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zafiris appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.9%), Black (0.7%), Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Zafiris (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 Zafiris mean?
A surname of Greek origin meaning "sapphire" or "precious stone". 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 Zafiris (0.05 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 share the surname Zafiris?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.