2000
#5,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,974
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.21
Uncommon Last name
Cartagena
A habitational surname referring to someone from the city of Cartagena, Spain, or Cartagena, Colombia.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,373 Americans carry the last name Cartagena. That puts it at #3,826 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,043 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cartagena 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
10K
1 in 33,043
Census rank
#3,826
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.0K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,046 bearers of the surname Cartagena in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3826th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cartagena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cartagena
The surname Cartagena originated in Spain, with its roots tracing back to the city of Cartagena, located in the autonomous community of Murcia. This city was founded by the Carthaginians in 227 BC, and its name is derived from the Punic word "Qart Hadasht," which translates to "New City."
In the early Middle Ages, after the Reconquista, the city of Cartagena became a significant naval base and port for the Kingdom of Castile. During this time, many families adopted the surname Cartagena to signify their association with the city or their origin from the region.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Cartagena can be found in the "Libro de Repartimiento," a historical document from the 13th century that detailed the distribution of land and properties in the newly conquered territories of the Kingdom of Valencia.
Several notable individuals have borne the surname Cartagena throughout history. One such figure was Alonso de Cartagena (1384-1456), a Spanish scholar, diplomat, and Bishop of Burgos, who played a crucial role in the Council of Basel and the controversy surrounding the Immaculate Conception.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Juan de Cartagena (fl. 1450), a Spanish poet and translator who was highly regarded for his translations of classical works into Castilian.
In the 16th century, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés (1478-1557), a Spanish historian and author, mentioned the Cartagena family in his work "Historia General y Natural de las Indias," which chronicled the early Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Additionally, Pedro de Cartagena (1425-1486) was a Spanish philosopher and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Salamanca and contributed to the development of scholastic thought in Spain.
In the 17th century, Juan de Cartagena y Garcés (1592-1654) was a notable Spanish painter and engraver, known for his religious works and contributions to the Baroque style.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Cartagena throughout history, reflecting its deep roots and significance in the Spanish cultural and historical landscape.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cartagena
Among Census respondents with the surname Cartagena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Cartagena 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 Cartagena surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.8% · 8,305
- White4.7% · 429
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 134
- Black or African American1.3% · 119
- Two or more races0.5% · 47
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cartagena
Cartagena 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
#4,184
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,467
+2,493 bearers (+41.7%)
Per 100,000 2.87
Rank movement Up 1,179 places
2020
#3,826
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,046
+579 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 3.03
Rank movement Up 358 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,363 | 5,974 | 2.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,184 | 8,467 | 2.87 | +2,493 bearers (+41.7%) | Up 1,179 places |
| 2020 | #3,826 | 9,046 | 3.03 | +579 bearers (+6.8%) | Up 358 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 Cartagena 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 | #4,184 | #3,826 | 8.6% |
| Count | 8,467 | 9,046 | 6.8% |
| Per 100K | 2.87 | 3.03 | 5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cartagena bearers went from 8,467 to 9,046 (+6.8% change). The surname moved up 358 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,184 to #3,826.
FAQ
Cartagena surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cartagena?
Name Census estimates that about 10,373 living Americans carry the surname Cartagena. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 33,043 residents.
How common is Cartagena?
Cartagena ranks #3,826 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,046 people with the surname Cartagena. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,373), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Cartagena.
Has Cartagena become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cartagena went from 8,467 recorded bearers to 9,046. That is an increase of 579 (+6.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,184 to #3,826.
What does the Census say about the background of Cartagena?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cartagena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) 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 Cartagena in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (8,305 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cartagena appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.8%), White (4.7%), 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 Cartagena (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 Cartagena mean?
A habitational surname referring to someone from the city of Cartagena, Spain, or Cartagena, Colombia. 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 Cartagena (3.03 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 people share the surname Cartagena?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.