2000
#4,256
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,702
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.86
Uncommon Last name
Estevez
A Spanish patronymic surname meaning "son of Esteve," derived from the given name Esteban (Stephen).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,848 Americans carry the last name Estevez. That puts it at #2,910 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,751 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Estevez 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
14K
1 in 24,751
Census rank
#2,910
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,076 bearers of the surname Estevez in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2910th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Estevez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Estevez
The surname Estevez is of Spanish origin, derived from the personal name Esteban, which in turn comes from the Greek name Stephanos, meaning "crown" or "wreath". The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in the regions of Galicia, Andalusia, and Catalonia.
The name Estevez is believed to have emerged as a patronymic, indicating "son of Esteban". It was common practice in medieval Spain to adopt surnames derived from the father's given name, often with the addition of the suffix "-ez" or "-es". This naming convention helped distinguish families and establish lineages.
Historical records show that the Estevez surname appears in various medieval documents, such as property deeds, legal contracts, and municipal registers. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Catalonian census of 1497, which listed several families bearing the Estevez surname.
The Estevez name has been linked to several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Pedro Estevez, a 14th-century Spanish soldier who fought in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moors. Another prominent figure was Gonzalo Estevez, a 16th-century navigator and explorer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous voyage around the world.
In the realm of arts and literature, the name Estevez is associated with the 17th-century Spanish playwright and poet, Francisco Estevez. His works, particularly his comedies, were widely celebrated during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Additionally, the 19th-century Spanish painter and engraver, Ignacio Estevez, gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits.
The Estevez surname has also been carried by notable individuals in more recent times. One example is Martin Estevez, a Spanish-born American actor and director, better known by his stage name Martin Sheen. Another prominent figure is his son, Emilio Estevez, an actor, director, and writer who has appeared in several critically acclaimed films.
It is worth noting that the name Estevez has also been subject to various spelling variations over time, including Esteves, Estevão, and Estebán, reflecting regional linguistic differences and influences within the Spanish-speaking world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Estevez
Among Census respondents with the surname Estevez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Estevez 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 Estevez surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.0% · 11,349
- White4.7% · 573
- Black or African American0.5% · 62
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 61
- Two or more races0.2% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Estevez
Estevez 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
#3,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,032
+3,330 bearers (+43.2%)
Per 100,000 3.74
Rank movement Up 983 places
2020
#2,910
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,076
+1,044 bearers (+9.5%)
Per 100,000 4.04
Rank movement Up 363 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,256 | 7,702 | 2.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,273 | 11,032 | 3.74 | +3,330 bearers (+43.2%) | Up 983 places |
| 2020 | #2,910 | 12,076 | 4.04 | +1,044 bearers (+9.5%) | Up 363 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 Estevez 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 | #3,273 | #2,910 | 11.1% |
| Count | 11,032 | 12,076 | 9.5% |
| Per 100K | 3.74 | 4.04 | 8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Estevez bearers went from 11,032 to 12,076 (+9.5% change). The surname moved up 363 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,273 to #2,910.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Estevez
FAQ
Estevez surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Estevez?
Name Census estimates that about 13,848 living Americans carry the surname Estevez. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,751 residents.
How common is Estevez?
Estevez ranks #2,910 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,076 people with the surname Estevez. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,848), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Estevez.
Has Estevez become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Estevez went from 11,032 recorded bearers to 12,076. That is an increase of 1,044 (+9.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,273 to #2,910.
What does the Census say about the background of Estevez?
Among Census respondents with the surname Estevez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Black (0.5%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Estevez in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.0% (11,349 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Estevez appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.0%), White (4.7%), Black (0.5%). 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 Estevez (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 Estevez mean?
A Spanish patronymic surname meaning "son of Esteve," derived from the given name Esteban (Stephen). 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 Estevez (4.04 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 Estevez?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.