2000
#14,503
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,884
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.70
Rare Last name
Agudelo
A Spanish surname derived from a place name meaning "little needle" or "little pin."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,250 Americans carry the last name Agudelo. That puts it at #10,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 105,463 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Agudelo 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
3.3K
1 in 105,463
Census rank
#10,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,834 bearers of the surname Agudelo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Agudelo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Agudelo
The surname Agudelo originated in Colombia and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "agudo," meaning "sharp" or "acute," which could refer to a person's physical or mental sharpness. The name may also have its roots in a geographic location, such as a town or region, but the exact origin is uncertain.
Agudelo is a common surname in the Antioquia region of Colombia, particularly in the cities of Medellín and Rionegro. It first appeared in historical records from this area during the Spanish colonial period, suggesting that the name has been present in Colombia for several centuries.
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Agudelo can be found in the baptismal records of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Medellín, dating back to the late 16th century. This church, also known as La Candelaria, is one of the oldest in the city and has been an important historical site for preserving records of the local population.
Agudelo is not a name that appears in widely known historical documents like the Domesday Book, which focused on England and parts of Europe. However, it has been associated with notable figures in Colombian history and culture.
One such individual was Pedro Agudelo Rendón (1899-1978), a Colombian politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Medellín from 1944 to 1946. He was known for his efforts to modernize the city and improve its infrastructure.
Another notable bearer of the Agudelo surname was Héctor Abad Gómez (1920-1987), a Colombian physician, writer, and human rights activist. He was assassinated by paramilitary groups for his outspoken criticism of violence and his advocacy for social justice.
In the field of literature, Álvaro Agudelo Hernández (1926-2009) was a renowned Colombian poet and essayist. His works explored themes of identity, memory, and the human condition, earning him recognition both in Colombia and internationally.
In the world of sports, José Agudelo (born 1993) is a Colombian professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for the Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.
Finally, María Agudelo (born 1979) is a Colombian visual artist known for her multimedia installations and performances that address issues of gender, identity, and social justice.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Agudelo, showcasing its prevalence and significance within Colombian culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Agudelo
Among Census respondents with the surname Agudelo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Agudelo 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 Agudelo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.1% · 2,611
- White4.9% · 139
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.3% · 65
- Black or African American0.3% · 8
- Two or more races0.3% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Agudelo
Agudelo 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
#11,933
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,622
+738 bearers (+39.2%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Up 2,570 places
2020
#10,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,834
+212 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Up 1,178 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,503 | 1,884 | 0.70 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,933 | 2,622 | 0.89 | +738 bearers (+39.2%) | Up 2,570 places |
| 2020 | #10,755 | 2,834 | 0.95 | +212 bearers (+8.1%) | Up 1,178 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 Agudelo 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 | #11,933 | #10,755 | 9.9% |
| Count | 2,622 | 2,834 | 8.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.89 | 0.95 | 6.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Agudelo bearers went from 2,622 to 2,834 (+8.1% change). The surname moved up 1,178 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,933 to #10,755.
FAQ
Agudelo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Agudelo?
Name Census estimates that about 3,250 living Americans carry the surname Agudelo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 105,463 residents.
How common is Agudelo?
Agudelo ranks #10,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.95 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,834 people with the surname Agudelo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,250), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.95 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Agudelo.
Has Agudelo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Agudelo went from 2,622 recorded bearers to 2,834. That is an increase of 212 (+8.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,933 to #10,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Agudelo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Agudelo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Agudelo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (2,611 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Agudelo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.1%), White (4.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Agudelo (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 Agudelo mean?
A Spanish surname derived from a place name meaning "little needle" or "little pin." 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 Agudelo (0.95 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 Agudelo?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Agudelo at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.