2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Guana
A Spanish surname derived from the word for iguana.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Guana. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Guana 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
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Guana in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Guana, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 85.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Guana
The surname GUANA is believed to have originated in Spain, with its roots tracing back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "iguana," which refers to a type of large lizard found in tropical regions of the Americas.
The name's connection to the iguana likely stems from early Spanish explorers and settlers who encountered these reptiles during their voyages to the New World. It's possible that an individual with a distinctive physical resemblance or association with iguanas was bestowed this surname as a descriptive nickname.
Records from the 16th century indicate the presence of individuals bearing the GUANA surname in various regions of Spain, particularly in Andalusia and Castile. One of the earliest documented mentions is found in a church registry from the city of Seville, dated 1523, which lists the birth of Juan GUANA.
Over the centuries, the GUANA name has been linked to several notable figures. One such individual was Pedro GUANA (1645-1718), a renowned Spanish architect and sculptor who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and cathedrals in Andalusia during the Baroque period.
In the realm of literature, María GUANA (1784-1862) was a celebrated Spanish poet and playwright whose works explored themes of love, nature, and societal issues. Her collection of poems, titled "Versos del Alma" (Verses of the Soul), was widely acclaimed in literary circles of the time.
During the 19th century, the GUANA surname gained prominence in the field of medicine with the accomplishments of Dr. Antonio GUANA (1819-1892). A pioneering physician, he made significant contributions to the study of tropical diseases and was instrumental in establishing one of the first hospitals dedicated to the treatment of malaria in Spain.
Another notable bearer of the GUANA name was Javier GUANA (1902-1978), a renowned Spanish artist known for his vibrant and expressive paintings depicting scenes from everyday life in his native Andalusia. His works are displayed in various art museums and galleries across Spain and Europe.
While the GUANA surname may have originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchanges. However, its roots remain firmly tied to the rich heritage and history of the Spanish people, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of names and their fascinating origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Guana
Among Census respondents with the surname Guana, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 85.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Guana 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 Guana surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino85.7% · 84
- White14.3% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Guana
Guana 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-4 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,964 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-2 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,706 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 14,964 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 4,706 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 Guana 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 | #160,975 | #156,269 | 2.9% |
| Count | 100 | 98 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Guana bearers went from 100 to 98 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 4,706 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #156,269.
FAQ
Guana surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Guana?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Guana. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Guana?
Guana ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 98 people with the surname Guana. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Guana.
Has Guana become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Guana went from 100 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 2 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Guana?
Among Census respondents with the surname Guana, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 85.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.3%). 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 Guana in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Guana appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (85.7%), White (14.3%). 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 Guana (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 Guana mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the word for iguana. 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 Guana (0.03 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 Guana?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.