2000
#4,371
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,514
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.79
Uncommon Last name
Gracia
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating a person who lived near or came from a farm or estate.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,440 Americans carry the last name Gracia. That puts it at #3,250 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,553 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gracia 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
12K
1 in 27,553
Census rank
#3,250
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,848 bearers of the surname Gracia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3250th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gracia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 85.3%. The next largest groups are White (9.3%) and Black (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gracia
The surname GRACIA is of Spanish origin, originating from the medieval Spanish word "gracia," which means "grace" or "favor." This name first emerged in the regions of Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia during the Middle Ages, around the 12th to 15th centuries.
The name GRACIA is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive surname, referring to individuals who possessed qualities associated with grace, charm, or favor. It may have been bestowed upon people who were considered gracious, elegant, or enjoyed the favor of those in authority.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GRACIA can be found in the "Fuero de Teruel," a legal code written in the 13th century for the town of Teruel, located in the Aragon region of Spain. This document mentions individuals with the surname GRACIA, indicating its usage during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name GRACIA appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the Kingdom of Aragon. For example, a prominent figure named Pedro de Gracia was a renowned jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the city of Zaragoza during the reign of King Pedro IV of Aragon (1319-1387).
Another notable individual with the surname GRACIA was Martín de Gracia, a Spanish navigator and explorer who participated in the expeditions of Christopher Columbus to the Americas in the late 15th century. He played a significant role in the exploration and colonization of the Caribbean islands.
During the 16th century, the name GRACIA became associated with the town of Gracia, now a district within the city of Barcelona. This place name likely influenced the popularity and spread of the surname GRACIA in the region of Catalonia.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname GRACIA from Catalonia was Jerónimo de Gracia, a prominent merchant and banker who lived in Barcelona during the late 16th century. He was known for his involvement in international trade and financing activities.
In the 17th century, the name GRACIA also appeared in various records from the region of Valencia. Gaspar de Gracia, born in 1620, was a notable painter and artist from Valencia who specialized in religious and historical works.
Throughout history, the surname GRACIA has been carried by numerous individuals from different walks of life, including scholars, artists, explorers, and merchants, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those bearing this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gracia
Among Census respondents with the surname Gracia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 85.3%. The next largest groups are White (9.3%) and Black (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Gracia 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 Gracia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino85.3% · 9,251
- White9.3% · 1,005
- Black or African American3.7% · 400
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 102
- Two or more races0.6% · 64
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gracia
Gracia 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
#3,720
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,520
+2,006 bearers (+26.7%)
Per 100,000 3.23
Rank movement Up 651 places
2020
#3,250
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,848
+1,328 bearers (+13.9%)
Per 100,000 3.63
Rank movement Up 470 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,371 | 7,514 | 2.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,720 | 9,520 | 3.23 | +2,006 bearers (+26.7%) | Up 651 places |
| 2020 | #3,250 | 10,848 | 3.63 | +1,328 bearers (+13.9%) | Up 470 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 Gracia 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 | #3,720 | #3,250 | 12.6% |
| Count | 9,520 | 10,848 | 13.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.23 | 3.63 | 12.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gracia bearers went from 9,520 to 10,848 (+13.9% change). The surname moved up 470 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,720 to #3,250.
FAQ
Gracia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gracia?
Name Census estimates that about 12,440 living Americans carry the surname Gracia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,553 residents.
How common is Gracia?
Gracia ranks #3,250 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.63 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 10,848 people with the surname Gracia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,440), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.63 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 Gracia.
Has Gracia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gracia went from 9,520 recorded bearers to 10,848. That is an increase of 1,328 (+13.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,720 to #3,250.
What does the Census say about the background of Gracia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gracia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 85.3%. The next largest groups are White (9.3%) and Black (3.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gracia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (9,251 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gracia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (85.3%), White (9.3%), Black (3.7%). 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 Gracia (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 Gracia mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname indicating a person who lived near or came from a farm or estate. 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 Gracia (3.63 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 common is the surname Gracia?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Gracia on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.