2000
#6,180
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.89
Rare Last name
Amezcua
Basque habitational surname derived from the place name Amezkoa, meaning "a place abounding in oaks."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,137 Americans carry the last name Amezcua. That puts it at #4,828 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 42,123 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Amezcua 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
8.1K
1 in 42,123
Census rank
#4,828
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,096 bearers of the surname Amezcua in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4828th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Amezcua, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Amezcua
The surname Amezcua originates from Mexico, tracing its roots back to the 16th century during the Spanish conquest and colonization of the region. It is believed to derive from the Nahuatl word "amatzcua," which translates to "water flowing from trees," likely referring to a place where sap or resin flowed from trees.
One of the earliest known references to the name Amezcua can be found in the records of the Spanish Inquisition in Mexico during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. These records document individuals bearing the surname, indicating its presence in the region during that time period.
The Amezcua name has also been linked to the town of Amatzcua, located in the present-day state of Zacatecas, Mexico. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, with early settlers adopting it as their family name.
Historically, the name has undergone various spellings and variations, such as Amatzcua, Amatzcu, and Amazcua, reflecting the evolution of the language and regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.
Notable individuals with the surname Amezcua throughout history include:
1. Juan de Amezcua (c. 1540-1610), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who played a significant role in the exploration and colonization of present-day Mexico and the southwestern United States.
2. Fray Antonio de Amezcua (1589-1660), a Franciscan missionary and linguist who worked extensively with indigenous communities in Mexico, contributing to the preservation of their languages and cultural traditions.
3. María de Amezcua (c. 1620-1675), a renowned healer and midwife in colonial Mexico, known for her expertise in traditional medicinal practices and her service to underprivileged communities.
4. José Amezcua y Nájera (1787-1854), a Mexican military officer and politician who served as the interim president of Mexico for a brief period in 1838.
5. Dolores Amezcua (1920-2005), a Mexican artist and activist renowned for her vibrant murals and advocacy for social justice and indigenous rights.
While the Amezcua surname has its origins in Mexico, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped global communities over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Amezcua
Among Census respondents with the surname Amezcua, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Amezcua 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 Amezcua surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino96.0% · 6,814
- White3.2% · 228
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 13
- Black or African American0.2% · 12
- Two or more races0.2% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Amezcua
Amezcua 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
#4,889
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,206
+2,102 bearers (+41.2%)
Per 100,000 2.44
Rank movement Up 1,291 places
2020
#4,828
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,096
-110 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 2.37
Rank movement Up 61 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,180 | 5,104 | 1.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,889 | 7,206 | 2.44 | +2,102 bearers (+41.2%) | Up 1,291 places |
| 2020 | #4,828 | 7,096 | 2.37 | -110 bearers (-1.5%) | Up 61 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 Amezcua 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 | #4,889 | #4,828 | 1.2% |
| Count | 7,206 | 7,096 | -1.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.44 | 2.37 | -2.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Amezcua bearers went from 7,206 to 7,096 (-1.5% change). The surname moved up 61 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,889 to #4,828.
FAQ
Amezcua surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Amezcua?
Name Census estimates that about 8,137 living Americans carry the surname Amezcua. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 42,123 residents.
How common is Amezcua?
Amezcua ranks #4,828 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.37 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 7,096 people with the surname Amezcua. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,137), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.37 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 Amezcua.
Has Amezcua become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Amezcua went from 7,206 recorded bearers to 7,096. That is a decrease of 110 (-1.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,889 to #4,828.
What does the Census say about the background of Amezcua?
Among Census respondents with the surname Amezcua, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (3.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%). 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 Amezcua in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (6,814 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Amezcua appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (96.0%), White (3.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%). 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 Amezcua (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 Amezcua mean?
Basque habitational surname derived from the place name Amezkoa, meaning "a place abounding in oaks." 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 Amezcua (2.37 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 Americans have the surname Amezcua?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.