2000
#111,740
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Cubilla
Spanish surname likely derived from the word "cuba" meaning "tub" or "barrel."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 253 Americans carry the last name Cubilla. That puts it at #89,848 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,354,760 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cubilla 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
253
1 in 1,354,760
Census rank
#89,848
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
221
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 221 bearers of the surname Cubilla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 89848th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cubilla, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 74.2%. The next largest groups are White (11.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cubilla
The surname Cubilla is of Spanish origin, derived from the word "cubilla," which means "small cove" or "small bay." The name likely originated in coastal regions of Spain, where small coves and bays were common geographical features. It is believed to have first emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cubilla can be found in the archives of the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, located in the province of Burgos, Spain. A document from the 13th century mentions a certain "Juan de Cubilla," suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.
The surname Cubilla has a strong association with the region of Cantabria, located in northern Spain. In the 16th century, a notable figure named Pedro de Cubilla y Quintana (born around 1530) was a prominent lawyer and judge in the city of Santander, Cantabria. He played a significant role in the legal affairs of the region during his lifetime.
Another notable individual with the surname Cubilla was Fray Martín de Cubilla, a Spanish missionary who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was part of the Franciscan order and is known for his work in evangelizing and establishing missions in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era.
In the 18th century, a certain Diego de Cubilla y Arce (born around 1710) was a prominent landowner and businessman in the town of Soto de Campoo, located in the province of Cantabria. His family held significant influence and wealth in the region during that time period.
Moving into the 19th century, a famous painter named Alejandro de Cubilla y Herrera (1828-1898) gained recognition for his works depicting scenes from the Cantabrian countryside and coastal areas. His paintings are considered important representations of the region's cultural heritage and traditions.
While the surname Cubilla has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to migration and colonization. However, its origins can be traced back to the coastal regions of northern Spain, where small coves and bays were a common feature of the landscape.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cubilla
Among Census respondents with the surname Cubilla, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 74.2%. The next largest groups are White (11.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Cubilla 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 Cubilla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino74.2% · 164
- White11.3% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.6% · 19
- Two or more races3.6% · 8
- Black or African American1.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cubilla
Cubilla 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
#95,955
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 190
+44 bearers (+30.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 15,785 places
2020
#89,848
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 221
+31 bearers (+16.3%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 6,107 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #111,740 | 146 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #95,955 | 190 | 0.06 | +44 bearers (+30.1%) | Up 15,785 places |
| 2020 | #89,848 | 221 | 0.07 | +31 bearers (+16.3%) | Up 6,107 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 Cubilla 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 | #95,955 | #89,848 | 6.4% |
| Count | 190 | 221 | 16.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 23.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cubilla bearers went from 190 to 221 (+16.3% change). The surname moved up 6,107 positions in the national ranking, going from #95,955 to #89,848.
FAQ
Cubilla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cubilla?
Name Census estimates that about 253 living Americans carry the surname Cubilla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,354,760 residents.
How common is Cubilla?
Cubilla ranks #89,848 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 221 people with the surname Cubilla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (253), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Cubilla.
Has Cubilla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cubilla went from 190 recorded bearers to 221. That is an increase of 31 (+16.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #95,955 to #89,848.
What does the Census say about the background of Cubilla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cubilla, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 74.2%. The next largest groups are White (11.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.6%). 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 Cubilla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.2% (164 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cubilla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (74.2%), White (11.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.6%). 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 Cubilla (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 Cubilla mean?
Spanish surname likely derived from the word "cuba" meaning "tub" or "barrel." 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 Cubilla (0.07 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 Cubilla?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.