2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cardec
A surname possibly derived from French geographical names or occupations related to weaving or carding wool.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Cardec. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cardec 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Cardec in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cardec, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (7.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cardec
The surname CARDEC has its origins rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia, which were formerly part of the Crown of Aragon. This name emerged during the latter part of the Reconquista period, spanning from the 8th to the 15th centuries, when much of the Iberian Peninsula was under Moorish rule.
One possible derivation of CARDEC can be traced back to the Arabic word "qardah," which translates to "thistles" or "spines." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who resided in areas abundant with thistles or spiny vegetation. Alternatively, it could have been a descriptive surname referring to someone's physical appearance or occupation related to working with such plants.
Early records of the CARDEC surname can be found in medieval Catalan and Valencian archives, though specific mentions in notable historical manuscripts are scarce. The first documented instance of the name dates back to the 14th century, when a certain Pere Cardec was listed as a landowner in the village of Tàrrega, located in the region of Lleida, Catalonia.
During the 15th century, the CARDEC surname gained prominence with the birth of Joan Cardec (1422-1492), a renowned scholar and theologian from Valencia. Joan's contributions to the field of theology earned him recognition throughout the Kingdom of Aragon and beyond. Another noteworthy figure was Miquel Cardec (1476-1541), a merchant and explorer from Barcelona, who was among the first Spaniards to establish trade routes with the newly discovered territories in the Americas.
In the 16th century, the CARDEC family expanded their influence, with several members holding prominent positions in the church and local government. Notable individuals from this era include Beatriu Cardec (1523-1589), a respected abbess of the Monastery of Sant Pere de les Puelles in Barcelona, and Jaume Cardec (1551-1618), a magistrate and advisor to the Viceroy of Valencia.
As the centuries progressed, the CARDEC surname continued to be associated with various professions and social standings, ranging from artisans and farmers to scholars and nobility. Among the more renowned figures were Francesc Cardec (1672-1738), a celebrated painter from Girona whose works adorned many churches and noble residences throughout Catalonia, and Marta Cardec (1785-1861), a philanthropist and businesswoman from Valencia who was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions in the city.
While the surname CARDEC may have evolved over time through various spelling variations and regional dialects, its roots remain firmly entrenched in the rich cultural tapestry of the Iberian Peninsula, bearing witness to the diverse histories and legacies of those who carried this name throughout the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cardec
Among Census respondents with the surname Cardec, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (7.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Cardec 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 Cardec surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.2% · 94
- White7.8% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cardec
Cardec 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
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-11 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 8,554 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 8,554 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 Cardec 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 | #146,201 | #154,755 | -5.9% |
| Count | 113 | 102 | -9.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cardec bearers went from 113 to 102 (-9.7% change). The surname moved down 8,554 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #154,755.
FAQ
Cardec surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cardec?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Cardec. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Cardec?
Cardec ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Cardec. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Cardec.
Has Cardec become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cardec went from 113 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Cardec?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cardec, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (7.8%). 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 Cardec in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cardec appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.2%), White (7.8%). 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 Cardec (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 Cardec mean?
A surname possibly derived from French geographical names or occupations related to weaving or carding wool. 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 Cardec (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Cardec?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.