2000
#5,902
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,368
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.99
Rare Last name
Castanon
A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places named Castañón in Spanish-speaking countries.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,332 Americans carry the last name Castanon. That puts it at #4,726 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 41,137 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Castanon 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
8.3K
1 in 41,137
Census rank
#4,726
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,266 bearers of the surname Castanon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4726th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Castanon, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Castanon
The surname Castanon is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in the northern regions of Spain. The name is derived from the Spanish word "castaño," which means "chestnut," referring to the chestnut tree or the color brown.
The earliest recorded instances of the Castanon surname can be found in ancient Spanish records dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. It is believed that the name originated as a descriptive surname, likely referring to individuals with chestnut-colored hair or complexion, or those who lived near or worked with chestnut trees.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Pedro Castanon, a prominent landowner and nobleman who lived in the region of Asturias, Spain, during the 13th century. His name is mentioned in several historical documents from that era, including land grants and tax records.
In the 15th century, the Castanon family gained prominence in the city of Burgos, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One notable figure was Juan Castanon, a successful merchant who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs during the latter half of the 15th century.
During the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries, many individuals bearing the Castanon surname made the journey across the Atlantic. One such individual was Bartolomé Castanon, a soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico in the early 1500s.
Over the centuries, the Castanon surname has spread throughout Spain and various parts of the Spanish-speaking world, including Latin America and the Philippines. Notable bearers of the name include:
1. Antonio Castanon (1893-1976), a Spanish painter and sculptor known for his works depicting rural life in Asturias.
2. María Castanon de Loizaga (1919-2008), a Venezuelan writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and received numerous literary awards.
3. Javier Castanon (born 1957), a Spanish actor and director who has appeared in numerous films and television series.
4. José Castanon (1924-2010), a Mexican architect renowned for his modernist designs, including the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
5. Dulce Castanon (born 1981), a Mexican singer and songwriter who has released several successful albums and won several Latin Grammy Awards.
While the Castanon surname has its roots in medieval Spain, it has since become a global name, with bearers found in various countries and cultures, each contributing to the rich tapestry of its history and legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Castanon
Among Census respondents with the surname Castanon, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Castanon 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 Castanon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.1% · 6,838
- White4.9% · 356
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 23
- Black or African American0.3% · 22
- Two or more races0.2% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Castanon
Castanon 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
#4,623
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,673
+2,305 bearers (+42.9%)
Per 100,000 2.60
Rank movement Up 1,279 places
2020
#4,726
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,266
-407 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 2.43
Rank movement Down 103 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,902 | 5,368 | 1.99 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,623 | 7,673 | 2.60 | +2,305 bearers (+42.9%) | Up 1,279 places |
| 2020 | #4,726 | 7,266 | 2.43 | -407 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 103 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 Castanon 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 | #4,623 | #4,726 | -2.2% |
| Count | 7,673 | 7,266 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.60 | 2.43 | -6.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Castanon bearers went from 7,673 to 7,266 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 103 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,623 to #4,726.
FAQ
Castanon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Castanon?
Name Census estimates that about 8,332 living Americans carry the surname Castanon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 41,137 residents.
How common is Castanon?
Castanon ranks #4,726 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.43 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,266 people with the surname Castanon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,332), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.43 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Castanon.
Has Castanon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Castanon went from 7,673 recorded bearers to 7,266. That is a decrease of 407 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,623 to #4,726.
What does the Census say about the background of Castanon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Castanon, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%). 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 Castanon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (6,838 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Castanon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.1%), White (4.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%). 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 Castanon (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 Castanon mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places named Castañón in Spanish-speaking countries. 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 Castanon (2.43 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 last name Castanon?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Castanon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.