2000
#6,923
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,469
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.66
Rare Last name
Cunha
A Portuguese toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a wedge-shaped plot of land or ravine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,168 Americans carry the last name Cunha. That puts it at #6,109 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.80 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 55,570 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cunha 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Cunha with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.2K
1 in 55,570
Census rank
#6,109
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,379 bearers of the surname Cunha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.80 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6109th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cunha, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cunha
The surname Cunha is of Portuguese origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Portuguese word "cunha," which means "wedge" or "chisel." This occupational surname was likely originally given to someone who worked as a woodworker or stonemason, crafting items using wedges or chisels.
The name Cunha first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, during the time of the Portuguese Reconquista, when the Christian kingdoms were reclaiming territory from the Moors. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in medieval charters and deeds from the regions of Minho and Trás-os-Montes in northern Portugal.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Cunha was Tristão da Cunha, a Portuguese explorer and naval officer. He is known for leading an expedition to the Indian Ocean in 1506, during which he discovered the remote islands that now bear his name, the Tristan da Cunha archipelago.
Another prominent individual with the Cunha surname was Nuno da Cunha, who served as the Governor of Portuguese India from 1529 to 1538. He played a significant role in strengthening Portugal's presence in the region and is credited with the construction of several fortifications and defensive structures.
In the 17th century, Pedro da Cunha (1629-1681) was a renowned Portuguese architect and engineer. He designed numerous notable buildings in Portugal, including the Church of São Roque and the Royal Palace of Mafra.
During the 19th century, Euclides da Cunha (1866-1909) was a Brazilian writer, sociologist, and journalist. He is best known for his seminal work "Os Sertões" (Rebellion in the Backlands), a pioneering work in the field of Brazilian literature and sociology.
Over the centuries, the surname Cunha has also been associated with various place names and locations in Portugal, such as Cunha Alta, Cunha Baixa, and Cunha Velha, which may have influenced the spread and popularity of the name in certain regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cunha
Among Census respondents with the surname Cunha, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Cunha 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 Cunha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 4,664
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 351
- Two or more races2.7% · 144
- Black or African American2.0% · 105
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 105
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cunha
Cunha 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
#6,555
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,170
+701 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 1.75
Rank movement Up 368 places
2020
#6,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,379
+209 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 1.80
Rank movement Up 446 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,923 | 4,469 | 1.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,555 | 5,170 | 1.75 | +701 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 368 places |
| 2020 | #6,109 | 5,379 | 1.80 | +209 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 446 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 Cunha 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 | #6,555 | #6,109 | 6.8% |
| Count | 5,170 | 5,379 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.75 | 1.80 | 2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cunha bearers went from 5,170 to 5,379 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 446 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,555 to #6,109.
FAQ
Cunha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cunha?
Name Census estimates that about 6,168 living Americans carry the surname Cunha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 55,570 residents.
How common is Cunha?
Cunha ranks #6,109 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.80 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 5,379 people with the surname Cunha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,168), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.8 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.80 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 Cunha.
Has Cunha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cunha went from 5,170 recorded bearers to 5,379. That is an increase of 209 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,555 to #6,109.
What does the Census say about the background of Cunha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cunha, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Cunha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (4,664 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cunha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Cunha (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 Cunha mean?
A Portuguese toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a wedge-shaped plot of land or ravine. 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 Cunha (1.80 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 Cunha?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Cunha on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.