2010
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Alcayaga
A Basque surname derived from the place name Alkaiaga, meaning "place of the vineyard" or "place abounding in vine shoots."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Alcayaga. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Alcayaga 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Alcayaga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Alcayaga, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (24.2%) and White (20.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Alcayaga
The surname Alcayaga originates from Spain, tracing its roots back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "alcayata," which refers to a particular type of metal hook or nail used in construction. This connection suggests that the name may have originally been associated with occupations related to metalworking or construction.
In its earliest forms, the name appeared in various Spanish manuscripts and records as "Alcayata," "Alcayaga," or "Alcaýaga." These spellings reflect the phonetic variations that occurred over time as the name was passed down through generations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript detailing hunting expeditions and activities of the Spanish nobility. This text mentions an individual named Pedro Alcayaga, who was likely a member of the royal hunting party or a landowner in the area.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name appears to have spread throughout Spain, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One such person was Juan de Alcayaga, a prominent Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.
Another significant figure was Rodrigo de Alcayaga, a 16th-century Spanish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Guadix from 1555 to 1564. His tenure coincided with the aftermath of the Moorish revolt in the region, and he played a role in the resettlement efforts and religious conversion of the local population.
In the 17th century, the name Alcayaga appeared in various Spanish colonial records, indicating that individuals with this surname had participated in the exploration and settlement of the Americas. One notable example is Hernando de Alcayaga, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Pedro de Valdivia in the conquest of Chile in the mid-16th century.
As the centuries passed, the Alcayaga surname continued to be present in Spain and its former colonies. In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name was Manuel Alcayaga y Valenzuela, a Chilean politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs during the early years of the Republic of Chile.
While the surname Alcayaga is not as common as some other Spanish surnames, it has left its mark on history through the contributions of individuals in various fields, including exploration, religion, politics, and diplomacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Alcayaga
Among Census respondents with the surname Alcayaga, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (24.2%) and White (20.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Alcayaga 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 Alcayaga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino50.0% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander24.2% · 29
- White20.0% · 24
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Alcayaga
Alcayaga 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
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-9 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,670 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 10,670 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 Alcayaga 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 | #131,379 | #142,049 | -8.1% |
| Count | 129 | 120 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Alcayaga bearers went from 129 to 120 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 10,670 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #142,049.
FAQ
Alcayaga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Alcayaga?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Alcayaga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Alcayaga?
Alcayaga ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 120 people with the surname Alcayaga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Alcayaga.
Has Alcayaga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Alcayaga went from 129 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #131,379 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Alcayaga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Alcayaga, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 50.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (24.2%) and White (20.0%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Alcayaga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 50.0% (60 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Alcayaga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (50.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (24.2%), White (20.0%). 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 Alcayaga (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 Alcayaga mean?
A Basque surname derived from the place name Alkaiaga, meaning "place of the vineyard" or "place abounding in vine shoots." 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 Alcayaga (0.04 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 Alcayaga?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Alcayaga on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.