2000
#12,883
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,190
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.81
Rare Last name
Canela
A Spanish surname referring to someone with a connection to cinnamon, either through trade or a physical characteristic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,548 Americans carry the last name Canela. That puts it at #9,956 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 96,605 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Canela 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 96,605
Census rank
#9,956
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,094 bearers of the surname Canela in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9956th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Canela, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Canela
The surname Canela has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "canella," which means "cinnamon" or "small cane." The name may have originated from an occupation related to the spice trade or the cultivation of cinnamon.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Canela can be found in the Catalonian region of Spain, where it appears in documents dating back to the 13th century. During this time, the name was likely associated with individuals involved in the spice trade or those who worked with cinnamon-related products.
In Portugal, the surname Canela can be traced back to the 15th century, where it is mentioned in various historical records and manuscripts. One notable example is the mention of Álvaro Canela, a Portuguese explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in the late 15th century.
The Canela surname also has connections to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago located off the northwestern coast of Africa. Historical records indicate that individuals with the surname Canela were among the early settlers of these islands, likely arriving in the 15th and 16th centuries during the Spanish conquest and colonization.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Canela surname. One such figure was Gaspar Canela, a Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his work in establishing Christian missions in various parts of the Americas.
Another prominent individual with the Canela surname was Juan Canela, a Spanish military officer and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the Spanish colonization of Peru and is mentioned in several historical accounts of that period.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Miguel Canela, a renowned Spanish poet and playwright from the 17th century. His works, which often explored themes of love and human emotion, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and continue to be studied and appreciated to this day.
The surname Canela has also been associated with various place names throughout Spain and Portugal. For instance, there is a town called Canelas in the northern region of Portugal, as well as a municipality named Cañelas in the Spanish province of Guadalajara.
These historical references and connections showcase the rich heritage and significance of the Canela surname, which has its roots deeply embedded in the Iberian Peninsula and has since spread to various parts of the world through exploration, colonization, and migration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Canela
Among Census respondents with the surname Canela, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Canela 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 Canela surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.3% · 2,917
- White3.1% · 97
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 44
- Black or African American0.7% · 22
- Two or more races0.4% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Canela
Canela 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
#9,030
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,619
+1,429 bearers (+65.3%)
Per 100,000 1.23
Rank movement Up 3,853 places
2020
#9,956
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,094
-525 bearers (-14.5%)
Per 100,000 1.04
Rank movement Down 926 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,883 | 2,190 | 0.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,030 | 3,619 | 1.23 | +1,429 bearers (+65.3%) | Up 3,853 places |
| 2020 | #9,956 | 3,094 | 1.04 | -525 bearers (-14.5%) | Down 926 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 Canela 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 | #9,030 | #9,956 | -10.3% |
| Count | 3,619 | 3,094 | -14.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.23 | 1.04 | -15.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Canela bearers went from 3,619 to 3,094 (-14.5% change). The surname moved down 926 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,030 to #9,956.
FAQ
Canela surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Canela?
Name Census estimates that about 3,548 living Americans carry the surname Canela. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 96,605 residents.
How common is Canela?
Canela ranks #9,956 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.04 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 3,094 people with the surname Canela. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,548), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.04 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 Canela.
Has Canela become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Canela went from 3,619 recorded bearers to 3,094. That is a decrease of 525 (-14.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,030 to #9,956.
What does the Census say about the background of Canela?
Among Census respondents with the surname Canela, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). 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 Canela in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (2,917 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Canela appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.3%), White (3.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). 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 Canela (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 Canela mean?
A Spanish surname referring to someone with a connection to cinnamon, either through trade or a physical characteristic. 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 Canela (1.04 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 many people have the surname Canela?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.