2000
#17,984
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,431
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.53
Rare Last name
Alegre
A Spanish surname meaning "joyful," "happy," or "lively," derived from the Spanish word "alegre."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,397 Americans carry the last name Alegre. That puts it at #13,851 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 142,993 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Alegre 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
2.4K
1 in 142,993
Census rank
#13,851
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,090 bearers of the surname Alegre in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13851st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Alegre, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 48.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (36.0%) and White (12.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Alegre
The surname Alegre has its origins in Spain, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "alegre," which means "joyful" or "cheerful." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone with a particularly lively or merry demeanor.
The earliest known record of the Alegre surname dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in various documents from the regions of Catalonia and Valencia. It is believed that the name may have originated in these areas and later spread to other parts of Spain and its territories.
One notable historical reference to the Alegre name can be found in the "Libro de Armería," a heraldic manuscript from the late 15th century. This work includes depictions and descriptions of the coats of arms associated with various noble families, including the Alegres.
In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Juan Alegre (1517-1572), a renowned Spanish poet and playwright. His works, which included comedies and religious plays, earned him recognition and helped to establish the Alegre name in the literary circles of the time.
Another notable figure with the Alegre surname was Pedro Alegre (1560-1623), a Spanish Jesuit missionary who traveled to South America and played a significant role in the evangelization efforts in present-day Argentina and Paraguay.
Moving forward to the 18th century, we encounter Francisco Alegre (1719-1788), a Mexican-born Jesuit priest and historian. His writings, particularly his "Historia de la Compañía de Jesús en Nueva España," provided valuable insights into the history of the Jesuit order in New Spain (Mexico).
In the 19th century, the name Alegre was associated with Gaspar Alegre (1805-1888), a Spanish politician and jurist who served as the Minister of Justice during the reign of Queen Isabella II.
Another notable figure was Miguel Alegre (1879-1964), a Spanish sculptor and ceramist who gained recognition for his works in the Modernist and Art Nouveau styles. His sculptures adorned many buildings in Barcelona and other cities in Catalonia.
These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the Alegre surname throughout history, contributing to its recognition and significance across various fields and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Alegre
Among Census respondents with the surname Alegre, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 48.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (36.0%) and White (12.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Alegre 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 Alegre surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino48.6% · 1,015
- Asian and Pacific Islander36.0% · 752
- White12.3% · 257
- Two or more races2.8% · 59
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Alegre
Alegre 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
#14,704
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,022
+591 bearers (+41.3%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Up 3,280 places
2020
#13,851
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,090
+68 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Up 853 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,984 | 1,431 | 0.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,704 | 2,022 | 0.69 | +591 bearers (+41.3%) | Up 3,280 places |
| 2020 | #13,851 | 2,090 | 0.70 | +68 bearers (+3.4%) | Up 853 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 Alegre 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 | #14,704 | #13,851 | 5.8% |
| Count | 2,022 | 2,090 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.70 | 1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Alegre bearers went from 2,022 to 2,090 (+3.4% change). The surname moved up 853 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,704 to #13,851.
FAQ
Alegre surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Alegre?
Name Census estimates that about 2,397 living Americans carry the surname Alegre. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 142,993 residents.
How common is Alegre?
Alegre ranks #13,851 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.70 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 2,090 people with the surname Alegre. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,397), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.70 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 Alegre.
Has Alegre become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Alegre went from 2,022 recorded bearers to 2,090. That is an increase of 68 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,704 to #13,851.
What does the Census say about the background of Alegre?
Among Census respondents with the surname Alegre, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 48.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (36.0%) and White (12.3%). 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 Alegre in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.6% (1,015 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Alegre appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (48.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (36.0%), White (12.3%). 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 Alegre (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 Alegre mean?
A Spanish surname meaning "joyful," "happy," or "lively," derived from the Spanish word "alegre." 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 Alegre (0.70 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 share the surname Alegre?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.