2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cigan
A Serbian surname derived from the Turkish word "çingene" meaning "gypsy".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Cigan. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cigan 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Cigan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cigan, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cigan
The surname Cigan has its origins in the Czech Republic, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Czech word "cikán," which means "gypsy" or "wanderer." This suggests that the name may have been initially assigned to individuals or families with a nomadic lifestyle or those who were of Romani descent.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cigan can be found in the Czech town of Kutná Hora, where a certain Jan Cigan was mentioned in a legal document from 1562. This document pertained to a property dispute, indicating that the Cigan family had already established roots in the region by that time.
In the 17th century, the name appeared in various church records across Bohemia, particularly in the towns of Kladno and Rakovník. During this period, the spelling variations included "Cygan" and "Czigan," reflecting the evolution of the Czech language over time.
The earliest known bearer of the Cigan surname was Václav Cigan, born in 1612 in the village of Lhota near Kladno. He was a blacksmith by trade and is noted for his exceptional skill in crafting horseshoes and other metalwork. His descendants continued to carry on the family name and trade for several generations.
Another notable figure was Jakub Cigan (1738-1815), a renowned herbalist and healer from the town of Rakovník. He was widely respected for his extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and his ability to treat various ailments using natural remedies. Jakub's reputation spread throughout the region, and his name became synonymous with traditional healing practices.
In the 19th century, the Cigan surname gained prominence in the field of education. Jan Cigan (1823-1887) was a highly regarded teacher and author of several textbooks on Czech grammar and literature. His works were widely used in schools across Bohemia and contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of the Czech language and culture.
The name Cigan also appeared in historical records related to the Czech national revival movement of the 19th century. Tomáš Cigan (1856-1912) was a prominent activist and writer who advocated for the rights and recognition of the Czech people within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His writings and speeches played a crucial role in fostering a sense of national identity and pride among his fellow Czechs.
It is worth noting that the surname Cigan has since spread beyond the borders of the Czech Republic, with bearers of the name found in various parts of Europe and even in other continents due to migration and diaspora. However, its roots can be traced back to the Czech lands and the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cigan
Among Census respondents with the surname Cigan, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Cigan 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 Cigan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cigan
Cigan 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+18 bearers (+16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,107 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-7 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,799 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +18 bearers (+16.8%) | Up 8,107 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 8,799 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 Cigan 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 | #134,712 | #143,511 | -6.5% |
| Count | 125 | 118 | -5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cigan bearers went from 125 to 118 (-5.6% change). The surname moved down 8,799 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #143,511.
FAQ
Cigan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cigan?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Cigan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Cigan?
Cigan ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Cigan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Cigan.
Has Cigan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cigan went from 125 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Cigan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cigan, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cigan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cigan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Hispanic (5.9%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Cigan (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 Cigan mean?
A Serbian surname derived from the Turkish word "çingene" meaning "gypsy". 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 Cigan (0.04 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 Cigan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.