2000
#12,015
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,386
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.88
Rare Last name
Asencio
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin name Ascentius, meaning "ascension" or "one who ascends."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,840 Americans carry the last name Asencio. That puts it at #9,331 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 89,259 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Asencio 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
3.8K
1 in 89,259
Census rank
#9,331
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,349 bearers of the surname Asencio in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9331st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Asencio, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Asencio
The surname Asencio has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 10th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "asensio," which means "wormwood," a type of herb. This indicates that the name may have been initially used as a nickname or a descriptive name for someone who grew, sold, or was associated with wormwood.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Asencio can be found in medieval Spanish documents, particularly in the regions of Castile and Aragon. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Pedro Asencio, a landowner in the village of Villarrubia de Santiago, who lived in the late 12th century.
During the 13th century, the surname Asencio began to appear in various historical records, such as land deeds, tax records, and municipal documents. It is likely that the name spread across Spain as families migrated and settled in different regions.
In the 16th century, the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas led to the surname Asencio being introduced to the New World. One notable individual from this period was Juan Asencio, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519.
In the 17th century, the surname Asencio gained prominence in the artistic and literary circles of Spain. Diego Asencio, a renowned painter from Seville, was known for his religious works and portraits during the Spanish Golden Age. His artistic legacy has been preserved in various museums and art collections.
Moving into the 18th century, the surname Asencio became associated with political and military figures. José Asencio y Toledo, a Spanish military officer and statesman, played a crucial role in the Spanish colonial administration of Louisiana and Florida during the late 1700s.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, individuals with the surname Asencio made significant contributions in various fields. Gregorio Asencio, a Spanish philosopher and educator born in 1818, was known for his influential writings on education and social reform. María Asencio, a prominent Spanish actress born in 1924, gained recognition for her performances on stage and in film.
As the surname Asencio spread across the globe, it has been associated with notable individuals in different countries. For example, Ramón Asencio, a Panamanian politician and diplomat born in 1930, served as the President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1985 to 1986.
While the surname Asencio has its roots in Spain, it has become a part of the cultural tapestry of many nations, reflecting the diverse histories and migrations of families over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Asencio
Among Census respondents with the surname Asencio, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Asencio 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 Asencio surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino90.8% · 3,041
- White5.9% · 198
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 31
- Black or African American0.9% · 30
- Two or more races0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Asencio
Asencio 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
#10,645
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,006
+620 bearers (+26.0%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Up 1,370 places
2020
#9,331
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,349
+343 bearers (+11.4%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Up 1,314 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,015 | 2,386 | 0.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,645 | 3,006 | 1.02 | +620 bearers (+26.0%) | Up 1,370 places |
| 2020 | #9,331 | 3,349 | 1.12 | +343 bearers (+11.4%) | Up 1,314 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 Asencio 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 | #10,645 | #9,331 | 12.3% |
| Count | 3,006 | 3,349 | 11.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.02 | 1.12 | 9.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Asencio bearers went from 3,006 to 3,349 (+11.4% change). The surname moved up 1,314 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,645 to #9,331.
FAQ
Asencio surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Asencio?
Name Census estimates that about 3,840 living Americans carry the surname Asencio. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 89,259 residents.
How common is Asencio?
Asencio ranks #9,331 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.12 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 3,349 people with the surname Asencio. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,840), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.12 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 Asencio.
Has Asencio become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Asencio went from 3,006 recorded bearers to 3,349. That is an increase of 343 (+11.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,645 to #9,331.
What does the Census say about the background of Asencio?
Among Census respondents with the surname Asencio, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Asencio in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (3,041 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Asencio appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (90.8%), White (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Asencio (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 Asencio mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin name Ascentius, meaning "ascension" or "one who ascends." 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 Asencio (1.12 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 Asencio?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.