2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zafiropoulos
A Greek surname derived from the words "zaphiri" meaning sapphire and "poulos" meaning dealer or merchant.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Zafiropoulos. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zafiropoulos 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Zafiropoulos in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zafiropoulos, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zafiropoulos
Zafiropoulos is a Greek surname with roots stretching back to the late Byzantine period. It originates from the Greek words "zafiri," meaning sapphire, and "poulos," which denotes "son of." This indicates that the surname likely means "son of the sapphire," possibly alluding to a precious or valuable family or trait associated with the gemstone. It was prevalent in regions of Greece, particularly in areas where Byzantine influence was strong, such as Thessaloniki and the broader Macedonian region.
The surname Zafiropoulos appears in historical records dating back to the Ottoman period, indicating its persistence through various dominations in Greek history. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in a 17th-century Ottoman tax registry, showing the Zafiropoulos family was involved in trade and held a notable status in their local community.
The name has maintained its presence into more recent history. Nikolaos Zafiropoulos, born in 1860 and dying in 1933, was a well-known Greek painter whose works contributed significantly to Greek art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His vibrant depictions of Greek landscapes captured a nationalistic spirit and helped preserve traditional Greek scenes during a time of significant cultural change.
Another notable individual is Demetrios Zafiropoulos, a scholar from the 18th century, born in 1762 and died in 1821. Known for his contributions to Greek philosophy and his translations of ancient Greek texts, he played a critical role in the intellectual revival during Greece's period of Enlightenment under Ottoman rule.
In the field of politics, Georgios Zafiropoulos, born in 1900 and passing away in 1965, was a prominent figure during the early 20th century. He served as a member of the Greek parliament and was a driving force in advocating for educational reforms in the post-World War II era.
Sophia Zafiropoulos, a famed Greek opera singer born in 1924 and dying in 1987, left an indelible mark on the performing arts. Her powerful soprano voice graced many international opera houses, bringing attention to Greek talent on the global stage.
The Zafiropoulos name also appears in the realm of science. Ioannis Zafiropoulos, born in 1947, is a distinguished Greek microbiologist. Over his prolific career, his research has greatly contributed to our understanding of microbial genetics and biotechnology, helping to place Greek science on the international map.
The surname Zafiropoulos, with its rich historical tapestry and notable individuals spanning various fields, encapsulates a blend of cultural heritage and personal achievement. Through centuries of Greek history, those bearing the name have made significant contributions, ensuring that the name Zafiropoulos remains both respected and recognized.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zafiropoulos
Among Census respondents with the surname Zafiropoulos, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Zafiropoulos 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 Zafiropoulos surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.6% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino10.3% · 12
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zafiropoulos
Zafiropoulos 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,501 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-7 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,579 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 8,501 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 8,579 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 Zafiropoulos 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 | #136,449 | #145,028 | -6.3% |
| Count | 123 | 116 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zafiropoulos bearers went from 123 to 116 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 8,579 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #145,028.
FAQ
Zafiropoulos surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zafiropoulos?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Zafiropoulos. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Zafiropoulos?
Zafiropoulos ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Zafiropoulos. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Zafiropoulos.
Has Zafiropoulos become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zafiropoulos went from 123 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Zafiropoulos?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zafiropoulos, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Zafiropoulos in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.6% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zafiropoulos appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.6%), Hispanic (10.3%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Zafiropoulos (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 Zafiropoulos mean?
A Greek surname derived from the words "zaphiri" meaning sapphire and "poulos" meaning dealer or merchant. 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 Zafiropoulos (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 common is the surname Zafiropoulos?
Want to know how many people have the last name Zafiropoulos? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.