2000
#12,919
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,181
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.81
Rare Last name
Callejas
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating someone from a place with streets, alleys, or paths.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,299 Americans carry the last name Callejas. That puts it at #8,453 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 79,729 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Callejas 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
4.3K
1 in 79,729
Census rank
#8,453
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,749 bearers of the surname Callejas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8453rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Callejas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Callejas
The surname Callejas originates from Spain, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "calleja," which translates to "small street" or "alleyway." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on or near a small street or alley.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Callejas can be found in medieval Spanish documents and records, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Castile. The name's spelling has remained relatively consistent throughout history, with minor variations such as "Calleja" and "Callejón" being observed.
One notable historical reference to the name Callejas can be found in the Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and properties in the city of Seville after its conquest by the Christian forces. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Callejas, indicating their presence in the region during that period.
Among the earliest known individuals bearing the name Callejas was Pedro Callejas, a Spanish soldier who fought in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moors in the 13th century. Another prominent figure was Juan Callejas, a renowned architect from Seville who designed several notable buildings in the city during the 16th century.
In the 17th century, Diego Callejas was a prominent writer and poet from Madrid, known for his contribution to the Spanish Golden Age literature. His works, such as "La venganza de la honra" and "El agravio satisfecho," were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
Another notable individual with the surname Callejas was María Callejas, a Spanish philanthropist from the 18th century. She was known for her charitable efforts and contributions towards the establishment of schools and hospitals in her hometown of Granada.
In the 19th century, José Callejas was a distinguished Spanish painter and artist, known for his vibrant landscape paintings and portraits. His works were exhibited in various galleries across Spain and Europe, earning him recognition and acclaim.
While the surname Callejas has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonization and migration. However, the name's roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Spain, where it was likely associated with individuals residing in small streets or alleys.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Callejas
Among Census respondents with the surname Callejas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Callejas 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 Callejas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino93.9% · 3,521
- White4.2% · 159
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 49
- Black or African American0.2% · 8
- Two or more races0.2% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Callejas
Callejas 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
#8,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,792
+1,611 bearers (+73.9%)
Per 100,000 1.29
Rank movement Up 4,254 places
2020
#8,453
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,749
-43 bearers (-1.1%)
Per 100,000 1.25
Rank movement Up 212 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,919 | 2,181 | 0.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,665 | 3,792 | 1.29 | +1,611 bearers (+73.9%) | Up 4,254 places |
| 2020 | #8,453 | 3,749 | 1.25 | -43 bearers (-1.1%) | Up 212 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 Callejas 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 | #8,665 | #8,453 | 2.4% |
| Count | 3,792 | 3,749 | -1.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.29 | 1.25 | -2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Callejas bearers went from 3,792 to 3,749 (-1.1% change). The surname moved up 212 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,665 to #8,453.
FAQ
Callejas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Callejas?
Name Census estimates that about 4,299 living Americans carry the surname Callejas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 79,729 residents.
How common is Callejas?
Callejas ranks #8,453 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.25 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 3,749 people with the surname Callejas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,299), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.25 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.25 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 Callejas.
Has Callejas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Callejas went from 3,792 recorded bearers to 3,749. That is a decrease of 43 (-1.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,665 to #8,453.
What does the Census say about the background of Callejas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Callejas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%). 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 Callejas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (3,521 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Callejas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (93.9%), White (4.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%). 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 Callejas (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 Callejas mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating someone from a place with streets, alleys, or paths. 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 Callejas (1.25 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 Callejas?
Find out how many people have the surname Callejas on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.