2000
#9,716
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,068
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.14
Rare Last name
Arceo
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone from the town of Arceo in the province of Burgos, Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,085 Americans carry the last name Arceo. That puts it at #7,255 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,405 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Arceo 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
5.1K
1 in 67,405
Census rank
#7,255
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,434 bearers of the surname Arceo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7255th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Arceo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (21.7%) and White (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Arceo
The surname Arceo is believed to have originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "arceo," which means "to ward off" or "to keep at bay." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who held a defensive or protective role, such as a guard or soldier.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Arceo surname can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript detailing hunting practices during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile. The document mentions an individual named Pedro Arceo, who was likely a huntsman or gamekeeper in the king's service.
In the 15th century, the Arceo name appears in records from the town of Azpeitia in the Basque region of northern Spain. A prominent figure was Juan Arceo, a merchant and landowner who lived from around 1420 to 1495. He is said to have played a role in the town's governance and contributed to the local economy through his business dealings.
During the 16th century, the Arceo family spread to other parts of Spain, including Andalusia in the south. A notable member was Diego Arceo, born in Seville around 1520, who served as a physician and author. His work, "Método de Curar las Enfermedades del Cuerpo Humano" (Method of Curing Diseases of the Human Body), published in 1574, was an influential medical text of the time.
In the 17th century, the Arceo name can be found in records from the town of Lorca in the region of Murcia. One notable figure was Francisco Arceo, born in 1635, who was a respected lawyer and judge. He is said to have played a significant role in the legal and judicial affairs of the town during his lifetime.
The 18th century saw the Arceo surname spread further across Spain, with individuals bearing the name found in various regions, including Catalonia and Galicia. One notable figure was María Arceo, born in Barcelona in 1742, who was a renowned poet and writer during the Enlightenment period in Spain.
While the Arceo surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries due to Spanish colonization and migration. However, the early history and origins of the name can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula and the Middle Ages, with its Latin roots and potential connections to defensive or protective roles.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Arceo
Among Census respondents with the surname Arceo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (21.7%) and White (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Arceo 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 Arceo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino72.7% · 3,222
- Asian and Pacific Islander21.7% · 964
- White3.8% · 170
- Two or more races1.5% · 66
- Black or African American0.2% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Arceo
Arceo 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
#7,782
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,265
+1,197 bearers (+39.0%)
Per 100,000 1.45
Rank movement Up 1,934 places
2020
#7,255
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,434
+169 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 1.48
Rank movement Up 527 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,716 | 3,068 | 1.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,782 | 4,265 | 1.45 | +1,197 bearers (+39.0%) | Up 1,934 places |
| 2020 | #7,255 | 4,434 | 1.48 | +169 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 527 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 Arceo 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 | #7,782 | #7,255 | 6.8% |
| Count | 4,265 | 4,434 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.45 | 1.48 | 2.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Arceo bearers went from 4,265 to 4,434 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 527 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,782 to #7,255.
FAQ
Arceo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Arceo?
Name Census estimates that about 5,085 living Americans carry the surname Arceo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,405 residents.
How common is Arceo?
Arceo ranks #7,255 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.48 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 4,434 people with the surname Arceo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,085), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.48 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 Arceo.
Has Arceo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Arceo went from 4,265 recorded bearers to 4,434. That is an increase of 169 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,782 to #7,255.
What does the Census say about the background of Arceo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Arceo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (21.7%) and White (3.8%). 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 Arceo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.7% (3,222 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Arceo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (72.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (21.7%), White (3.8%). 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 Arceo (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 Arceo mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone from the town of Arceo in the province of Burgos, Spain. 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 Arceo (1.48 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 Arceo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.