2010
#90,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 204
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Baxcajay
An uncommon Spanish surname possibly originating from an indigenous place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 189 Americans carry the last name Baxcajay. That puts it at #113,026 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,813,515 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Baxcajay 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
189
1 in 1,813,515
Census rank
#113,026
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
165
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 165 bearers of the surname Baxcajay in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 113026th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Baxcajay, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%) and White (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Baxcajay
The surname BAXCAJAY is of Mayan origin, tracing its roots to the regions of modern-day Guatemala and southern Mexico. It likely emerged during the period of the Maya civilization, which flourished between the 3rd and 9th centuries CE. The name is believed to be derived from the Mayan words "ba'ax" meaning "what" and "kajay" meaning "to guard" or "to protect," suggesting a connection to a guardian or protector role.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BAXCAJAY can be found in the Popol Vuh, a sacred book of the Quiché Maya people, which dates back to the 16th century. It mentions a figure named Baxcajay, who was revered as a warrior and protector of his people. This suggests the name's association with strength and valor.
In the 17th century, during the Spanish colonial era in the Americas, the name BAXCAJAY appeared in various administrative records and census documents in the regions of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico. One notable individual from this period was Juan BAXCAJAY (1625-1689), a respected leader and advocate for the rights of indigenous Mayan communities.
The 19th century saw the rise of a prominent Mayan scholar and linguist named Francisco BAXCAJAY (1810-1876), who dedicated his life to preserving and studying the Mayan languages and cultures. His contributions played a crucial role in the understanding and appreciation of Mayan heritage.
Another individual of note was María BAXCAJAY (1867-1942), a renowned healer and practitioner of traditional Mayan medicine. Her knowledge and expertise in herbal remedies and healing practices were highly regarded throughout the region.
In the early 20th century, Pedro BAXCAJAY (1901-1978) gained recognition as a skilled artisan and ceramist, renowned for his intricate and beautifully crafted pottery that showcased the rich artistic traditions of the Maya.
The surname BAXCAJAY continues to be prevalent in various parts of Guatemala and southern Mexico, carrying with it a rich cultural legacy and historical significance rooted in the ancient Maya civilization.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Baxcajay
Among Census respondents with the surname Baxcajay, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%) and White (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Baxcajay 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 Baxcajay surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.2% · 157
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.0% · 5
- White1.2% · 2
- Two or more races0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Baxcajay
Baxcajay appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#113,026
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 165
-39 bearers (-19.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 22,531 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #90,495 | 204 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #113,026 | 165 | 0.06 | -39 bearers (-19.1%) | Down 22,531 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 Baxcajay 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 | #90,495 | #113,026 | -24.9% |
| Count | 204 | 165 | -19.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.06 | -21.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Baxcajay bearers went from 204 to 165 (-19.1% change). The surname moved down 22,531 positions in the national ranking, going from #90,495 to #113,026.
FAQ
Baxcajay surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Baxcajay?
Name Census estimates that about 189 living Americans carry the surname Baxcajay. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,813,515 residents.
How common is Baxcajay?
Baxcajay ranks #113,026 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 165 people with the surname Baxcajay. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (189), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Baxcajay.
Has Baxcajay become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Baxcajay went from 204 recorded bearers to 165. That is a decrease of 39 (-19.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #90,495 to #113,026.
What does the Census say about the background of Baxcajay?
Among Census respondents with the surname Baxcajay, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%) and White (1.2%). 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 Baxcajay in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (157 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Baxcajay appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%), White (1.2%). 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 Baxcajay (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 Baxcajay mean?
An uncommon Spanish surname possibly originating from an indigenous place name. 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 Baxcajay (0.06 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 last name Baxcajay?
Find out how many people are called Baxcajay on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.