2000
#398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 72,533
First available Census row
Per 100,000 26.89
Common Last name
Figueroa
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of the numerous places named Figueroa, meaning "fig tree."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114,807 Americans carry the last name Figueroa. That puts it at #310 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 33.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,985 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Figueroa 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 Figueroa with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
115K
1 in 2,985
Census rank
#310
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
33.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100,117 bearers of the surname Figueroa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 33.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 310th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Figueroa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Figueroa
The surname Figueroa originated in Spain. It is derived from the Spanish words "higuera" meaning fig tree and "roa" meaning a shaded area or grove. The name likely emerged during the medieval period in regions where fig trees were cultivated.
The earliest recorded instances of the Figueroa surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the Kingdom of Castile. It is believed to have originated in the province of Extremadura, which borders Portugal. The name may have referred to individuals who lived near or worked in fig groves.
In the 13th century, the Figueroa family rose to prominence, with several members becoming influential nobles and military leaders. One notable figure was Lope Sanchez de Figueroa, a knight who fought in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moors. He was granted lands and titles for his valor in battle.
During the 15th century, the Figueroa name appeared in several historical records, including the archives of the Spanish monarchy. Gómez Suárez de Figueroa (1380-1429) was a prominent diplomat and ambassador who served under King Juan II of Castile.
As the Spanish Empire expanded in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Figueroa name was carried to the Americas by explorers, conquistadors, and settlers. Juan Rodríguez de Figueroa (1510-1565) was a Spanish conquistador who played a significant role in the conquest of Chile.
Other notable individuals with the Figueroa surname include Francisco de Figueroa (1536-1617), a Spanish poet and playwright during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Cristóbal Suárez de Figueroa (1571-1644) was a Spanish writer and diplomat known for his satirical works.
The Figueroa name has been associated with various places and geographical features throughout Spain and Latin America, such as the town of Figueroa in Andalusia and the Figueroa Mountain in California, named after José Francisco de Figueroa, the last Spanish governor of Alta California.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Figueroa
Among Census respondents with the surname Figueroa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Figueroa 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 Figueroa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.9% · 92,031
- White5.3% · 5,308
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 1,181
- Black or African American1.0% · 996
- Two or more races0.4% · 395
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 206
Timeline
Historical Census data for Figueroa
Figueroa 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
#316
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98,468
+25,935 bearers (+35.8%)
Per 100,000 33.38
Rank movement Up 82 places
2020
#310
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100,117
+1,649 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 33.50
Rank movement Up 6 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #398 | 72,533 | 26.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #316 | 98,468 | 33.38 | +25,935 bearers (+35.8%) | Up 82 places |
| 2020 | #310 | 100,117 | 33.50 | +1,649 bearers (+1.7%) | Up 6 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 Figueroa 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 | #316 | #310 | 1.9% |
| Count | 98,468 | 100,117 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 33.38 | 33.50 | 0.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Figueroa bearers went from 98,468 to 100,117 (+1.7% change). The surname moved up 6 positions in the national ranking, going from #316 to #310.
FAQ
Figueroa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Figueroa?
Name Census estimates that about 114,807 living Americans carry the surname Figueroa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,985 residents.
How common is Figueroa?
Figueroa ranks #310 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 33.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 33 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 100,117 people with the surname Figueroa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114,807), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 33.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 33.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 33 of them to have the surname Figueroa.
Has Figueroa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Figueroa went from 98,468 recorded bearers to 100,117. That is an increase of 1,649 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #316 to #310.
What does the Census say about the background of Figueroa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Figueroa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%). 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 Figueroa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (92,031 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Figueroa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.9%), White (5.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%). 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 Figueroa (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 Figueroa mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of the numerous places named Figueroa, meaning "fig tree." 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 Figueroa (33.50 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 Figueroa?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.