Explore the Family Name Kanakis
The meaning of Kanakis
Greek: 1. from the personal name Kanakis, from kanaki ‘caress, playing with a child’. 2. alternatively, perhaps a Hellenization of Albanian Kanaçi, attested since the 16th century, possibly from kanaçe ‘can’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kanakis in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Kanakis" has seen a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 70,906th as compared to 74,608th in 2010, indicating a change of -5.22%. However, the count of people with this surname has slightly increased from 257 to 259 during the same period, marking a growth of 0.78%. Nevertheless, the proportion per 100k population has seen a drop of 10% from 0.1 to 0.09.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #70,906 | #74,608 | -5.22% |
| Count | 257 | 259 | 0.78% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.09 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kanakis
Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that most individuals with the "Kanakis" surname identify as White with an increase from 93% in 2000 to 96.53% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic saw a minor decrease from 2.72% to 2.70%. Meanwhile, there were no reported cases of Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals with the surname "Kanakis". Interestingly, while in 2000 some 3.89% identified with two or more races, no such individuals were recorded in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93% | 96.53% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic | 2.72% | 2.7% | -0.74% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 3.89% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |