2000
#4,478
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,291
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.70
Uncommon Last name
Ambriz
A Spanish surname derived from the Basque word "ametz," meaning "oak tree," likely referring to someone living near oak trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,673 Americans carry the last name Ambriz. That puts it at #3,429 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 29,363 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ambriz 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
12K
1 in 29,363
Census rank
#3,429
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,179 bearers of the surname Ambriz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3429th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambriz, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ambriz
The surname Ambriz originates from Portugal, where it first emerged during the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Portuguese place name "Ambriz," a coastal town in the northern part of Angola, a former Portuguese colony. This place name is thought to have originated from the Kimbundu word "ambriz," which means "deep water" or "navigable water."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ambriz can be found in the Portuguese royal archives, where it appears in a document dated 1462. This document references a certain João Ambriz, who served as a navigator and explorer during the Age of Discovery.
The name Ambriz gained prominence in the 16th century, when it was associated with several notable figures in Portuguese history. One such figure was Tomé Ambriz, a renowned cartographer and mapmaker who lived between 1520 and 1585. His works included detailed maps of the Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia, which were instrumental in facilitating trade and exploration during that era.
Another prominent individual bearing the surname Ambriz was Álvaro Ambriz, a military commander who served under King Sebastian I of Portugal during the 16th century. Álvaro Ambriz played a crucial role in the Portuguese conquest of Morocco, leading troops in the Battle of Alcácer Quibir in 1578.
In the 17th century, the name Ambriz was linked to the colonial expansion of Portugal in Brazil. One notable figure from this period was Francisco Ambriz, a wealthy landowner and plantation owner who settled in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, in the early 1600s. Francisco Ambriz was instrumental in establishing the region's thriving sugar industry, which became a significant economic force during the colonial era.
The 18th century saw the emergence of another noteworthy individual bearing the Ambriz surname. João Ambriz, born in 1724 and died in 1798, was a renowned architect and engineer who worked on several prestigious projects in Portugal and its colonies. His most notable contribution was the design and construction of the iconic Águas Livres Aqueduct in Lisbon, a remarkable feat of engineering that still stands today as a testament to his skill and craftsmanship.
As the centuries passed, the surname Ambriz continued to be associated with individuals of significance in various fields, including politics, arts, and academia. However, the name's origins and deep-rooted connection to Portugal's rich maritime history and colonial past remain a defining aspect of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ambriz
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambriz, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Ambriz 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 Ambriz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino96.3% · 9,799
- White3.0% · 307
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 25
- Two or more races0.2% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 18
- Black or African American0.1% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ambriz
Ambriz 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
#3,416
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,445
+3,154 bearers (+43.3%)
Per 100,000 3.54
Rank movement Up 1,062 places
2020
#3,429
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,179
-266 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 3.41
Rank movement Down 13 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,478 | 7,291 | 2.70 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,416 | 10,445 | 3.54 | +3,154 bearers (+43.3%) | Up 1,062 places |
| 2020 | #3,429 | 10,179 | 3.41 | -266 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 13 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 Ambriz 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 | #3,416 | #3,429 | -0.4% |
| Count | 10,445 | 10,179 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 3.54 | 3.41 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ambriz bearers went from 10,445 to 10,179 (-2.5% change). The surname moved down 13 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,416 to #3,429.
FAQ
Ambriz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ambriz?
Name Census estimates that about 11,673 living Americans carry the surname Ambriz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 29,363 residents.
How common is Ambriz?
Ambriz ranks #3,429 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.41 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,179 people with the surname Ambriz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,673), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.41 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Ambriz.
Has Ambriz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ambriz went from 10,445 recorded bearers to 10,179. That is a decrease of 266 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,416 to #3,429.
What does the Census say about the background of Ambriz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ambriz, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.2%). 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 Ambriz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (9,799 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ambriz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (96.3%), White (3.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.2%). 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 Ambriz (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 Ambriz mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Basque word "ametz," meaning "oak tree," likely referring to someone living near oak trees. 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 Ambriz (3.41 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 Ambriz?
You can see how many people are called Ambriz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.