2000
#70,052
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 261
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Zaharias
A Greek surname derived from the Biblical name Zachariah, meaning "God remembers".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 303 Americans carry the last name Zaharias. That puts it at #78,145 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,131,202 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zaharias 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
303
1 in 1,131,202
Census rank
#78,145
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
264
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 264 bearers of the surname Zaharias in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78145th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaharias, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zaharias
The surname Zaharias has its origins rooted in the Greek-speaking regions, tracing back to Byzantine times. Its etymology is derived from the Greek word "Ζαχαρίας," which means "God has remembered.” This surname has strong historical and religious connotations, often associated with religious figures and early Christian history. The Greek root "Ζαχαρίας" itself comes from the Hebrew name "Zechariah," which holds the same meaning.
The surname Zaharias has been recorded in various forms over the centuries, reflecting the regions and periods through which it traveled. One of the earliest appearances of a similar name in historical records can be found in Byzantine texts and early church documents. Variations like Zacharias were more common in ecclesiastical records, often denoting priests, monks, and other religious figures. The surname naturally made its way to various documents and manuscripts preserved in monasteries and libraries, indicating its early use among learned and religious communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zaharias is found in the archives of Mount Athos, a historic monastic community in Greece, from the 11th century. These records often listed the names of monks and notable visitors, providing insight into the surname's venerable history. Over the centuries, the name diversified as it spread through the Greek mainland and the Aegean islands, adapting to regional dialects and spellings.
A notable figure bearing the surname Zaharias was Theodore Zaharias, a 14th-century Byzantine military commander known for his defense of the empire's northern borders. His strategic genius was documented in several military chronicles of the time, highlighting the role of the Zaharias family in Byzantine history. Following the fall of Constantinople in 1453, many Greeks, including bearers of the Zaharias name, migrated to various parts of Europe, further dispersing the surname.
An example from the 18th century is Stavros Zaharias, a prominent merchant in the city of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir). His business dealings with European traders were well-documented in the commercial records of the time. His involvement in both trade and local politics marked the Zaharias name as one associated with commerce and community leadership.
In the 19th century, Evangelos Zaharias emerged as a notable intellectual figure in the fledgling modern Greek state. Born in 1823, he was a professor of philosophy and a prolific writer, contributing to the national conversation about identity and independence. His works on ethics and metaphysics were influential in shaping Greek educational reforms until his death in 1891.
The 20th century saw yet another celebrated bearer of the name: Babe Zaharias, an American athlete of Greek descent born in 1911 as Mildred Ella Didrikson Zaharias. She achieved fame for her versatile sports career, excelling in golf, basketball, and track and field. Her remarkable achievements brought international recognition to the Zaharias name before her untimely death in 1956.
Each of these figures contributed to the historical tapestry of the surname Zaharias, reflecting its rich and versatile legacy from its ancient origins in Greece to its spread across various fields and continents. The surname continues to evoke a sense of historical depth and cultural significance, bearing witness to the enduring legacy of those who carried it through centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zaharias
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaharias, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Zaharias 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 Zaharias surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 244
- Two or more races2.7% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 5
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zaharias
Zaharias 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
#72,105
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 270
+9 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 2,053 places
2020
#78,145
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 264
-6 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 6,040 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #70,052 | 261 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #72,105 | 270 | 0.09 | +9 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 2,053 places |
| 2020 | #78,145 | 264 | 0.09 | -6 bearers (-2.2%) | Down 6,040 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 Zaharias 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 | #72,105 | #78,145 | -8.4% |
| Count | 270 | 264 | -2.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.09 | -1.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zaharias bearers went from 270 to 264 (-2.2% change). The surname moved down 6,040 positions in the national ranking, going from #72,105 to #78,145.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zaharias
FAQ
Zaharias surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zaharias?
Name Census estimates that about 303 living Americans carry the surname Zaharias. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,131,202 residents.
How common is Zaharias?
Zaharias ranks #78,145 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 264 people with the surname Zaharias. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (303), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Zaharias.
Has Zaharias become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zaharias went from 270 recorded bearers to 264. That is a decrease of 6 (-2.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #72,105 to #78,145.
What does the Census say about the background of Zaharias?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaharias, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Zaharias in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (244 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zaharias appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Zaharias (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 Zaharias mean?
A Greek surname derived from the Biblical name Zachariah, meaning "God remembers". 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 Zaharias (0.09 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 Zaharias?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Zaharias, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.