2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Zarkos
An uncommon Greek surname possibly derived from a village name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Zarkos. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zarkos 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Zarkos in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarkos, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zarkos
The surname Zarkos is believed to have its origins in Greece, dating back to medieval times. It likely originates from a region in Greece where mountainous terrains and remote villages were common. The name itself might have been derived from an ancient Greek word or possibly from a local dialect that denoted a specific attribute, profession, or geographic location.
One possible etymology for the surname Zarkos could be linked to the word "zarka," which, in some Slavic languages, refers to a "dawn" or "daybreak." Given the interactions and migrations between Greek and Slavic populations, it is plausible that such linguistic elements could blend into regional surnames. Additionally, "Zark" or "Zarak" could have been a root word indicating strength, stone, or rock, emphasizing the robust and resilient characteristics of families bearing this name.
The name Zarkos appears in historical records from the Byzantine period, suggesting that individuals with this surname held positions in local administration or landownership. Manuscripts from the 14th century make reference to a landowner named Nikolaos Zarkos, noted for his contributions to agricultural development in the Thessalian plain. Nikolaos Zarkos was mentioned in a land grant dated 1376, underscoring the family's established presence in the region.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Dimitrios Zarkos, born in 1420 and deceased in 1500, played a significant role in the community as a merchant and naval trader. Dimitrios expanded his family’s influence by engaging in commerce across the Aegean Sea, facilitating trade between Greek islands and mainland ports.
Another prominent historical figure with this surname was Ioannis Zarkos, an intellectual and scholar born in 1585. Ioannis was known for his work in translating ancient Greek texts into Latin, making significant contributions to the preservation and dissemination of classical knowledge during the Renaissance.
In the 18th century, Theodoros Zarkos, an officer born in 1742, was instrumental in several uprisings against Ottoman rule. He became a local hero in Epirus for his courageous leadership in the fight for Greek independence. Theodoros’s death in 1821 during the Greek War of Independence marked him as a martyr in the struggle for national sovereignty.
By the 19th century, the surname Zarkos had been carried by individuals across various professional fields. Alexandros Zarkos, born in 1845, was a renowned physician and philanthropist. His work in public health policies in Athens led to significant improvements in sanitation and epidemic control.
These historical figures and their respective contributions not only highlight the diverse roles individuals with the surname Zarkos played over the centuries but also underscore the name’s longevity and adaptation through social and political changes. The legacy of the Zarkos surname is thus interwoven through Greek history, reflecting a narrative of resilience, intellect, and leadership.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zarkos
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarkos, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zarkos 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 Zarkos surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 5
- Two or more races4.0% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zarkos
Zarkos appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,030 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 4,030 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 Zarkos 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 | #159,712 | #155,682 | 2.5% |
| Count | 101 | 100 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zarkos bearers went from 101 to 100 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 4,030 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #155,682.
FAQ
Zarkos surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zarkos?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Zarkos. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Zarkos?
Zarkos ranks #155,682 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 100 people with the surname Zarkos. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), 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 Zarkos.
Has Zarkos become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zarkos went from 101 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Zarkos?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarkos, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Zarkos in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zarkos appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.0%), Hispanic (5.0%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Zarkos (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 Zarkos mean?
An uncommon Greek surname possibly derived from a village name. 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 Zarkos (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 Zarkos?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.