Refugio
A Spanish name derived from the word "refugio," meaning refuge or shelter.
Name Census estimates that about 2,526 living Americans carry the first name Refugio. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 82.2% of registrations being male. The average person named Refugio today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Refugio births was 1927 (106 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Refugio. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
2.5K
~ 1 in 135,691 Americans
Peak year
1927
106 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,142
Tracked since 1885
Gender
Gender distribution for Refugio
Refugio leans heavily male at 82.2% of total registrations, but 863 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Refugio as a male name
- Ranked #7,142 in 2024
- 12 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1927 (70 births)
Refugio as a female name
- Ranked #13,349 in 1988
- 5 female births in 1988
- Peak: 1920 (39 births)
Popularity
Refugio: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Refugio from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 829 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Refugio by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Refugio during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Refugios live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, California, Arizona recorded the most babies named Refugio, while Illinois, New Mexico, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 700 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Refugio
The name Refugio originated from the Spanish language and dates back to the late 15th century. It is derived from the Latin word "refugium," which means "refuge" or "shelter." The name is closely associated with the concept of seeking safety, protection, or sanctuary.
In the early years of its usage, the name Refugio was often given to children born in times of conflict or hardship, with the hope that they would find refuge and solace in life. It was also commonly used in religious contexts, symbolizing the idea of finding refuge in faith or spiritual beliefs.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Refugio can be found in historical records from the Spanish colonization of the Americas. In 1542, Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo named a coastal region in present-day California "Refugio" after seeking shelter there during a storm.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Refugio. One such figure was Refugio de Palencia (1505-1569), a Spanish mystic and writer who lived during the Renaissance period. She was known for her spiritual writings and her devotion to the Catholic faith.
Another prominent figure was Refugio Violeta Barrios de Valdivia (1867-1956), a Chilean educator and feminist activist. She played a crucial role in advocating for women's rights and establishing educational opportunities for girls in Chile.
In Mexico, Refugio Reyes (1854-1928) was a distinguished military officer who fought in the Mexican Revolution. He is remembered for his bravery and leadership during the battles against the forces of Porfirio Díaz.
Refugio Serna (1881-1960), a Mexican-American labor activist, was a significant figure in the fight for workers' rights in the early 20th century. She helped organize strikes and advocated for better working conditions and fair wages for migrant workers.
Another notable individual was Refugio Román Díez (1929-2020), a Spanish politician and diplomat. She served as the first female ambassador of Spain to the United States from 1976 to 1980, breaking barriers for women in diplomatic roles.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals who have borne the name Refugio throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence and the significance it has held across various cultures and time periods.
People
Refugio + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Refugio as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Refugio: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Refugio?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,526 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Refugio going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 135,691 US residents.
Is Refugio a common name?
We classify Refugio as "Rare". It ranks above 94.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 4,837 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Refugio most popular?
The single biggest year for Refugio was 1927, when 106 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Refugio is about 53 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Refugio a male name?
Yes, 82.2% of people registered as Refugio in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.