2000
#2,992
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,088
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.11
Uncommon Last name
Ceballos
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating someone from any of several places called Ceballos, derived from the Spanish word "cebollas" meaning "onions."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 17,618 Americans carry the last name Ceballos. That puts it at #2,314 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 19,455 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ceballos 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
18K
1 in 19,455
Census rank
#2,314
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 15,364 bearers of the surname Ceballos in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2314th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ceballos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ceballos
The surname Ceballos has its origins in Spain, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a locational surname derived from the Spanish word "cebolla," meaning "onion." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near an area known for its onion cultivation or someone who was involved in the onion trade.
The name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it first appeared in various records and documents from the regions of Andalusia and Castile-La Mancha. One of the earliest known references to the name was found in a manuscript from the town of Alcalá de Henares, dated 1189, mentioning a certain "Pedro Ceballos."
In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Libro de Repartimiento, a document that recorded the distribution of lands and properties among the Christian settlers after the Reconquista of Seville in 1248. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Ceballos, indicating that the name was already well-established in southern Spain by that time.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals bore the surname Ceballos. One of the earliest was Pedro Fernández de Ceballos (c. 1370-1440), a Spanish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Reconquista and played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada.
Another prominent figure was Juan Ceballos (1495-1572), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico. He later served as a governor in various regions of New Spain (present-day Mexico).
In the 17th century, Jerónimo de Ceballos (1605-1675) was a Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in several churches and museums across Spain.
Moving to the 18th century, Pedro Ceballos (1728-1781) was a Spanish naval officer and politician who served as the Secretary of State for the Navy and the Indies under King Charles III.
In more recent history, Gonzalo Ceballos (1917-1995) was a renowned Mexican actor, director, and screenwriter who appeared in numerous films throughout his career, including several collaborations with Luis Buñuel.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the surname Ceballos throughout history, reflecting its deep roots and enduring presence in various parts of the Spanish-speaking world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ceballos
Among Census respondents with the surname Ceballos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Ceballos 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 Ceballos surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino93.3% · 14,329
- White4.3% · 666
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 203
- Two or more races0.5% · 80
- Black or African American0.4% · 56
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ceballos
Ceballos 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
#2,350
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,515
+4,427 bearers (+39.9%)
Per 100,000 5.26
Rank movement Up 642 places
2020
#2,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,364
-151 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 5.14
Rank movement Up 36 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,992 | 11,088 | 4.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,350 | 15,515 | 5.26 | +4,427 bearers (+39.9%) | Up 642 places |
| 2020 | #2,314 | 15,364 | 5.14 | -151 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 36 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 Ceballos 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 | #2,350 | #2,314 | 1.5% |
| Count | 15,515 | 15,364 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 5.26 | 5.14 | -2.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ceballos bearers went from 15,515 to 15,364 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 36 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,350 to #2,314.
FAQ
Ceballos surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ceballos?
Name Census estimates that about 17,618 living Americans carry the surname Ceballos. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 19,455 residents.
How common is Ceballos?
Ceballos ranks #2,314 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 15,364 people with the surname Ceballos. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (17,618), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Ceballos.
Has Ceballos become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ceballos went from 15,515 recorded bearers to 15,364. That is a decrease of 151 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,350 to #2,314.
What does the Census say about the background of Ceballos?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ceballos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.3%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) 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 Ceballos in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (14,329 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ceballos appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (93.3%), White (4.3%), 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 Ceballos (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 Ceballos mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating someone from any of several places called Ceballos, derived from the Spanish word "cebollas" meaning "onions." 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 Ceballos (5.14 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 Ceballos?
You can see how many people are called Ceballos on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.