2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Colca
An uncommon surname possibly derived from Spanish or Spanish American origins.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Colca. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Colca 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Colca in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Colca, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Colca
The surname Colca is believed to have originated in the Quechua language, which is spoken by indigenous people in various regions of South America, particularly in Peru. The name is thought to be derived from the word "colca," which refers to a type of storage structure used for preserving crops in the Andes.
Historically, the Colca name has been associated with the Colca Valley, a region located in the Arequipa department of southern Peru. This region is renowned for its deep canyons, including the Colca Canyon, which is one of the deepest canyons in the world. The name Colca may have been adopted by families residing in or near this valley.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Colca surname can be found in the Spanish colonial records of Peru from the 16th and 17th centuries. During this period, the Spanish conquistadors and settlers often adopted or adapted indigenous names, which could explain the origin of the Colca surname.
The surname Colca has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Francisco Colca, a Peruvian painter who lived in the 17th century and is known for his religious works, which adorned various churches and monasteries in Arequipa.
Another prominent individual with the Colca surname was José Colca y Agüero (1674-1748), a Spanish-Peruvian clergyman who served as the Bishop of Arequipa from 1724 until his death. He is remembered for his efforts in promoting education and advocating for the rights of indigenous communities.
In the 20th century, Carlos Colca Lescano (1920-1996) was a Peruvian writer and poet who gained recognition for his works exploring themes of identity, social justice, and the struggles of marginalized communities in Peru. His poetry collections, such as "Poemas de Angamos" and "Piedra del Agua," are considered seminal works in Peruvian literature.
Additionally, Julio Colca Olivera (1925-2009) was a prominent Peruvian artist known for his vibrant paintings and murals depicting scenes from Andean culture and traditions. His works can be found in various museums and public spaces throughout Peru.
Another notable figure with the Colca surname is María Colca Santisteban (1933-2018), a Peruvian educator and activist who dedicated her life to promoting literacy and educational opportunities for underprivileged communities in rural areas of Peru. She was recognized with several honors for her contributions to education and social development.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Colca
Among Census respondents with the surname Colca, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Colca 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 Colca surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Colca
Colca 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
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,568 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 2,568 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 Colca 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 | #154,907 | #152,339 | 1.7% |
| Count | 105 | 106 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Colca bearers went from 105 to 106 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 2,568 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #152,339.
FAQ
Colca surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Colca?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Colca. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Colca?
Colca ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Colca. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Colca.
Has Colca become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Colca went from 105 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Colca?
Among Census respondents with the surname Colca, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Colca in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Colca appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Hispanic (5.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). 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 Colca (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 Colca mean?
An uncommon surname possibly derived from Spanish or Spanish American origins. 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 Colca (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 Americans have the surname Colca?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.