2000
#8,462
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,586
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.33
Rare Last name
Avendano
Derived from the Spanish term "avellaneda," referring to a place where hazelnut trees grow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,981 Americans carry the last name Avendano. That puts it at #5,513 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,098 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Avendano 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
7.0K
1 in 49,098
Census rank
#5,513
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,088 bearers of the surname Avendano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5513th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Avendano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Avendano
The surname Avendano has its origins in Spain, specifically in the northern regions of Galicia and Asturias. It is believed to have emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Spanish word "avendar," which means "to bind or bandage," suggesting a possible connection to a medical or healing profession in its early history.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Avendano can be found in the "Becerro de las Behetrias," a medieval census document from the 14th century, where it appears as "Avendanno." This suggests that the name was already in use and established in certain areas of Spain during that time period.
In the 15th century, there are records of an individual named Pedro Avendano, who served as a soldier and conquistador during the Spanish conquest of the Americas. He participated in various expeditions and played a role in the exploration and colonization of the New World.
Another notable figure with the surname Avendano was Diego Avendano, a Spanish theologian and philosopher who lived in the 16th century (1594-1688). He was a prominent scholar at the University of Salamanca and authored several theological and philosophical works, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the 17th century, Juan Avendano (1625-1688) was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Chile from 1659 to 1662. He played a significant role in the governance and defense of the Spanish colonies in South America during that period.
Moving into the 18th century, José Avendano (1718-1781) was a renowned Spanish painter known for his religious and historical works. He studied under notable artists of his time and had his works displayed in various churches and collections throughout Spain.
While the surname Avendano 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, its origins and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the northern regions of Spain, where it emerged as a distinct surname during the Middle Ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Avendano
Among Census respondents with the surname Avendano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Avendano 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 Avendano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.2% · 5,612
- White3.8% · 231
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 210
- Two or more races0.3% · 17
- Black or African American0.2% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Avendano
Avendano 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
#5,695
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,086
+2,500 bearers (+69.7%)
Per 100,000 2.06
Rank movement Up 2,767 places
2020
#5,513
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,088
+2 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 2.04
Rank movement Up 182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,462 | 3,586 | 1.33 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,695 | 6,086 | 2.06 | +2,500 bearers (+69.7%) | Up 2,767 places |
| 2020 | #5,513 | 6,088 | 2.04 | +2 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 182 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 Avendano 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 | #5,695 | #5,513 | 3.2% |
| Count | 6,086 | 6,088 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.06 | 2.04 | -1.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Avendano bearers went from 6,086 to 6,088 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 182 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,695 to #5,513.
FAQ
Avendano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Avendano?
Name Census estimates that about 6,981 living Americans carry the surname Avendano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,098 residents.
How common is Avendano?
Avendano ranks #5,513 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.04 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 6,088 people with the surname Avendano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,981), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.04 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 Avendano.
Has Avendano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Avendano went from 6,086 recorded bearers to 6,088. That is an increase of 2 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,695 to #5,513.
What does the Census say about the background of Avendano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Avendano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%). 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 Avendano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (5,612 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Avendano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.2%), White (3.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%). 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 Avendano (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 Avendano mean?
Derived from the Spanish term "avellaneda," referring to a place where hazelnut trees grow. 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 Avendano (2.04 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 Avendano?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.