2000
#19,164
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,311
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Cadenas
A surname of Spanish origin meaning "chains" or "fetters".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,193 Americans carry the last name Cadenas. That puts it at #14,872 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 156,295 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cadenas 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
2.2K
1 in 156,295
Census rank
#14,872
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,912 bearers of the surname Cadenas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14872nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cadenas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.6%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cadenas
The surname CADENAS is of Spanish origin, derived from the Spanish word "cadena," which means "chain." This name likely originated in the medieval period, possibly referring to an occupation or trade related to the production or use of chains.
The earliest recorded instances of the CADENAS surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Catalonia, and Castile. It is believed that the name may have been initially adopted by individuals involved in metalworking, such as blacksmiths or locksmiths, who specialized in crafting chains or securing objects with chains.
One of the earliest known references to the CADENAS surname is in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This work mentions a certain Ruy Cadenas, who was likely a member of the Spanish nobility or a prominent huntsman during that era.
In the 15th century, the CADENAS surname appeared in various historical documents and records, including the "Libro del Repartimiento" (Book of Distribution), which documented the distribution of lands and properties after the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.
One notable individual bearing the CADENAS surname was Diego Cadenas, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands in the late 15th century. He was born around 1460 and played a significant role in the subjugation of the indigenous Guanche population.
Another prominent figure was Juan de Cadenas, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He participated in various military campaigns, including the conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars.
In the 16th century, the CADENAS surname spread beyond Spain to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One example is Hernán Cadenas, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the 1520s.
During the 17th century, the CADENAS surname was also found in various parts of Europe, likely due to Spanish migration and trade connections. For instance, Bartolomé Cadenas was a Flemish painter born in Antwerp in 1629, known for his religious and allegorical works.
Over the centuries, the CADENAS surname has been associated with various occupations, from metalworkers and soldiers to artists and intellectuals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of individuals bearing this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cadenas
Among Census respondents with the surname Cadenas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.6%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Cadenas 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 Cadenas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.6% · 1,770
- White5.3% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 29
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
- Two or more races0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cadenas
Cadenas 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
#15,625
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,870
+559 bearers (+42.6%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 3,539 places
2020
#14,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,912
+42 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 753 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,164 | 1,311 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,625 | 1,870 | 0.63 | +559 bearers (+42.6%) | Up 3,539 places |
| 2020 | #14,872 | 1,912 | 0.64 | +42 bearers (+2.2%) | Up 753 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 Cadenas 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 | #15,625 | #14,872 | 4.8% |
| Count | 1,870 | 1,912 | 2.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.63 | 0.64 | 1.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cadenas bearers went from 1,870 to 1,912 (+2.2% change). The surname moved up 753 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,625 to #14,872.
FAQ
Cadenas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cadenas?
Name Census estimates that about 2,193 living Americans carry the surname Cadenas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 156,295 residents.
How common is Cadenas?
Cadenas ranks #14,872 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 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 1,912 people with the surname Cadenas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,193), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 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 Cadenas.
Has Cadenas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cadenas went from 1,870 recorded bearers to 1,912. That is an increase of 42 (+2.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,625 to #14,872.
What does the Census say about the background of Cadenas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cadenas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.6%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%). 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 Cadenas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (1,770 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cadenas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.6%), White (5.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%). 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 Cadenas (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 Cadenas mean?
A surname of Spanish origin meaning "chains" or "fetters". 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 Cadenas (0.64 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 Cadenas?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Cadenas at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.