2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Blanes
A surname of Spanish origin potentially derived from the town of Blanes or related to the Catalan word for "white".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Blanes. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Blanes 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Blanes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Blanes, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 39.2%. The next largest groups are White (33.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (20.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Blanes
The surname Blanes originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Catalonia. It is derived from the Catalan word "blana," which means "wool." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the wool trade or textile industry.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Blanes can be traced back to the 13th century in various historical documents from the Kingdom of Aragon. One notable record is the "Llibre del Repartiment," which was a register of land distribution following the Christian conquest of Valencia in 1238. This document includes several individuals with the surname Blanes, indicating their presence in the region during that time.
In the 14th century, the name Blanes appeared in the "Llibre Verd," a medieval manuscript from the city of Barcelona, which contained records of local regulations and laws. This further solidifies the Catalan origins of the surname and its association with the region.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Blanes was Bernat Blanes, a 13th-century merchant and landowner from the city of Valencia. Records indicate that he was granted substantial land holdings in the region after the Christian conquest.
In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Blanes was Juan Blanes de Navarra, a Spanish painter and architect who lived from approximately 1500 to 1580. His works can be found in various churches and buildings across Spain, showcasing the artistic talents associated with this surname.
Another prominent individual with the surname Blanes was Gaspar Blanes, a 17th-century Spanish playwright and poet who lived from 1620 to 1688. He was known for his contributions to the Spanish Golden Age of literature and his works were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, Francisco Blanes y Navarro, a Spanish naval officer and explorer, gained recognition for his expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and his contributions to mapping and charting new territories. He lived from 1735 to 1805 and played a significant role in Spain's exploration efforts during that era.
The name Blanes is also associated with several place names in Spain, particularly in the Catalonia region. For instance, the coastal town of Blanes, located in the province of Girona, likely derived its name from individuals with the surname Blanes who may have been among its early settlers or landowners.
Throughout its history, the surname Blanes has been linked to individuals from various walks of life, ranging from merchants and landowners to artists, writers, and explorers. Despite its Catalan roots, the name has spread across Spain and beyond, carrying with it the echoes of its wool-related origins and the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Blanes
Among Census respondents with the surname Blanes, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 39.2%. The next largest groups are White (33.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (20.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Blanes 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 Blanes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino39.2% · 47
- White33.3% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander20.0% · 24
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Blanes
Blanes 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
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+13 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,579 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 10,579 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 Blanes 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 | #152,628 | #142,049 | 6.9% |
| Count | 107 | 120 | 12.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Blanes bearers went from 107 to 120 (+12.1% change). The surname moved up 10,579 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #142,049.
FAQ
Blanes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Blanes?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Blanes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Blanes?
Blanes ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 120 people with the surname Blanes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Blanes.
Has Blanes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Blanes went from 107 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 13 (+12.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Blanes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Blanes, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 39.2%. The next largest groups are White (33.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (20.0%). 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 Blanes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 39.2% (47 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Blanes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (39.2%), White (33.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (20.0%). 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 Blanes (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 Blanes mean?
A surname of Spanish origin potentially derived from the town of Blanes or related to the Catalan word for "white". 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 Blanes (0.04 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 common is the surname Blanes?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Blanes on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.