2000
#11,476
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,517
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.93
Rare Last name
Bargas
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating an origin in one of several places named Bargas, derived from "vargas" meaning "slopes".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,926 Americans carry the last name Bargas. That puts it at #11,742 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 117,141 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bargas 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
2.9K
1 in 117,141
Census rank
#11,742
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,552 bearers of the surname Bargas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11742nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bargas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 79.2%. The next largest groups are White (14.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bargas
The surname BARGAS originated in Spain in the late medieval period, likely derived from the Spanish word "barga," meaning a type of shrub or bush. It may have initially been a nickname for someone who lived near or worked with these plants.
In the 15th century, records show the BARGAS name in the region of Castile, particularly in the towns of Valladolid and Burgos. Variations in early spellings include Bargos, Barghas, and Bargazo, reflecting regional dialects and scribal interpretations.
One of the earliest known references to the BARGAS name is in a 1487 land deed from the village of Torquemada, where a certain Pedro Bargas is listed as a witness. This suggests the name was already established in that area by the late 15th century.
The BARGAS surname may also be connected to the town of Bargas, located in the province of Toledo. It's possible the name originated as a toponymic surname for someone from this place.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the BARGAS name appears in various historical records and manuscripts across Spain. Notable figures include:
- Diego de Bargas (1543-1612), a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Juan de Oñate on expeditions to New Mexico.
- María de Bargas (1598-1672), a renowned poet and writer from Seville.
- Bernardo Bargas de Carión (1627-1691), a Jesuit scholar and theologian from Valladolid.
- Juana Bargas y Luján (1654-1719), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from Madrid.
- Francisco Bargas Machuca (1712-1767), a noted architect and designer of the Baroque style in Granada.
As the BARGAS surname spread across Spain and its territories, it likely acquired new associations and meanings based on local contexts and individual accomplishments. However, its roots can be traced back to the regions of Castile and Toledo in the late medieval era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bargas
Among Census respondents with the surname Bargas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 79.2%. The next largest groups are White (14.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Bargas 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 Bargas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino79.2% · 2,022
- White14.7% · 375
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.3% · 58
- Two or more races2.0% · 50
- Black or African American1.1% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bargas
Bargas 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
#10,724
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,979
+462 bearers (+18.4%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Up 752 places
2020
#11,742
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,552
-427 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.85
Rank movement Down 1,018 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,476 | 2,517 | 0.93 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,724 | 2,979 | 1.01 | +462 bearers (+18.4%) | Up 752 places |
| 2020 | #11,742 | 2,552 | 0.85 | -427 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 1,018 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 Bargas 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 | #10,724 | #11,742 | -9.5% |
| Count | 2,979 | 2,552 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.01 | 0.85 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bargas bearers went from 2,979 to 2,552 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 1,018 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,724 to #11,742.
FAQ
Bargas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bargas?
Name Census estimates that about 2,926 living Americans carry the surname Bargas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 117,141 residents.
How common is Bargas?
Bargas ranks #11,742 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.85 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 2,552 people with the surname Bargas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,926), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.85 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 Bargas.
Has Bargas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bargas went from 2,979 recorded bearers to 2,552. That is a decrease of 427 (-14.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,724 to #11,742.
What does the Census say about the background of Bargas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bargas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 79.2%. The next largest groups are White (14.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.3%). 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 Bargas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.2% (2,022 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bargas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (79.2%), White (14.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.3%). 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 Bargas (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 Bargas mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating an origin in one of several places named Bargas, derived from "vargas" meaning "slopes". 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 Bargas (0.85 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 have the surname Bargas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.