2000
#13,742
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,022
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.75
Rare Last name
Barillas
A surname of Spanish origin, derived from the place name Barillas, referring to someone from that location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,526 Americans carry the last name Barillas. That puts it at #10,006 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 97,208 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barillas 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
3.5K
1 in 97,208
Census rank
#10,006
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,075 bearers of the surname Barillas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10006th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barillas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barillas
The surname BARILLAS originated in Spain, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "barilla," which refers to a type of salt-tolerant plant commonly found in coastal regions. This suggests that the name may have its roots among families or communities associated with the production or trade of salt or other coastal activities.
One of the earliest known mentions of the BARILLAS surname can be found in historical records from the region of Andalusia, particularly in the town of Almería. The surname appears in various municipal documents and records from that era, indicating its presence and significance in the local community.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the BARILLAS name began to spread beyond its initial region of origin, appearing in records across different parts of Spain. This expansion may have been due to migration, trade, or other historical events that facilitated the movement of people and families.
Notable individuals bearing the BARILLAS surname include Juan de Barillas, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to the New World in the early 16th century. Another prominent figure was Pedro de Barillas, a military officer who played a significant role in the defense of Spanish territories during the Dutch Revolt in the late 16th century.
In the 18th century, the BARILLAS surname gained further recognition with the birth of Antonio de Barillas y Fernández (1718-1786), a renowned Spanish painter and engraver whose works are still celebrated for their artistic merit and historical significance.
Moving into the 19th century, the name BARILLAS continued to be associated with various prominent figures. One such individual was María Barillas (1827-1904), a Spanish writer and educator who made significant contributions to the literary and educational spheres of her time.
Additionally, the BARILLAS surname has been carried by individuals from different walks of life, including politicians, scientists, and artists, further demonstrating its enduring presence and diverse representations throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barillas
Among Census respondents with the surname Barillas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Barillas 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 Barillas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.8% · 2,914
- White3.7% · 114
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
- Black or African American0.4% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
- Two or more races0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barillas
Barillas 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
#10,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,942
+920 bearers (+45.5%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 2,916 places
2020
#10,006
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,075
+133 bearers (+4.5%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Up 820 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,742 | 2,022 | 0.75 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,826 | 2,942 | 1.00 | +920 bearers (+45.5%) | Up 2,916 places |
| 2020 | #10,006 | 3,075 | 1.03 | +133 bearers (+4.5%) | Up 820 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 Barillas 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 | #10,826 | #10,006 | 7.6% |
| Count | 2,942 | 3,075 | 4.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.00 | 1.03 | 2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barillas bearers went from 2,942 to 3,075 (+4.5% change). The surname moved up 820 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,826 to #10,006.
FAQ
Barillas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barillas?
Name Census estimates that about 3,526 living Americans carry the surname Barillas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 97,208 residents.
How common is Barillas?
Barillas ranks #10,006 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.03 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 3,075 people with the surname Barillas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,526), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.03 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 Barillas.
Has Barillas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barillas went from 2,942 recorded bearers to 3,075. That is an increase of 133 (+4.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,826 to #10,006.
What does the Census say about the background of Barillas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barillas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%). 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 Barillas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (2,914 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barillas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.8%), White (3.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%). 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 Barillas (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 Barillas mean?
A surname of Spanish origin, derived from the place name Barillas, referring to someone from that location. 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 Barillas (1.03 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 Barillas?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.