2000
#7,122
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,326
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.60
Rare Last name
Aguila
A Spanish surname meaning "eagle," referring to the bird of prey or someone with eagle-like qualities.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,910 Americans carry the last name Aguila. That puts it at #5,570 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,603 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Aguila 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
6.9K
1 in 49,603
Census rank
#5,570
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,026 bearers of the surname Aguila in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5570th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Aguila, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%) and White (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Aguila
The surname Aguila originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "águila," which means "eagle." This name likely referred to a person who displayed qualities associated with the eagle, such as strength, courage, and keen vision.
The earliest recorded use of the name Aguila can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various medieval records and documents. It is believed that the name was initially concentrated in the regions of Andalusia and Castile, where it gained popularity among noble families.
One notable historical reference to the name Aguila can be found in the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. During this period, several individuals bearing this surname played significant roles in the exploration and colonization of the New World. For instance, Juan de Aguila (1495-1569) was a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico.
Another prominent figure with the surname Aguila was Diego de Aguila (1560-1628), a Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippines from 1617 to 1624. He played a crucial role in fortifying the Spanish stronghold in the Pacific and defending it against Dutch and Portuguese incursions.
In the realm of arts and literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of Cristóbal de Aguila (1527-1603), a Spanish playwright and poet known for his works in the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
Moving beyond Spain, the surname Aguila also found its way to the Americas, where it became prevalent in various regions. One notable individual was Miguel Aguila (1785-1861), a Venezuelan military leader and politician who played a pivotal role in the Venezuelan War of Independence against Spanish colonial rule.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning Juan Aguila (1537-1602), a Spanish architect and engineer who was instrumental in the construction of several iconic buildings and fortifications in Spain and its colonies, including the famous El Morro fortress in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and legacy associated with the surname Aguila, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, spanning multiple centuries and countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Aguila
Among Census respondents with the surname Aguila, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%) and White (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Aguila 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 Aguila surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino81.5% · 4,914
- Asian and Pacific Islander12.2% · 736
- White4.3% · 257
- Two or more races1.3% · 81
- Black or African American0.5% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Aguila
Aguila 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
#5,683
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,103
+1,777 bearers (+41.1%)
Per 100,000 2.07
Rank movement Up 1,439 places
2020
#5,570
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,026
-77 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 2.02
Rank movement Up 113 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,122 | 4,326 | 1.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,683 | 6,103 | 2.07 | +1,777 bearers (+41.1%) | Up 1,439 places |
| 2020 | #5,570 | 6,026 | 2.02 | -77 bearers (-1.3%) | Up 113 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 Aguila 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 | #5,683 | #5,570 | 2.0% |
| Count | 6,103 | 6,026 | -1.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.07 | 2.02 | -2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Aguila bearers went from 6,103 to 6,026 (-1.3% change). The surname moved up 113 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,683 to #5,570.
FAQ
Aguila surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Aguila?
Name Census estimates that about 6,910 living Americans carry the surname Aguila. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,603 residents.
How common is Aguila?
Aguila ranks #5,570 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.02 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,026 people with the surname Aguila. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,910), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.02 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Aguila.
Has Aguila become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Aguila went from 6,103 recorded bearers to 6,026. That is a decrease of 77 (-1.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,683 to #5,570.
What does the Census say about the background of Aguila?
Among Census respondents with the surname Aguila, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%) and White (4.3%). 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 Aguila in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.5% (4,914 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Aguila appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (81.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.2%), White (4.3%). 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 Aguila (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 Aguila mean?
A Spanish surname meaning "eagle," referring to the bird of prey or someone with eagle-like qualities. 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 Aguila (2.02 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 common is the surname Aguila?
You can see how many people are called Aguila on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.