2000
#9,442
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,159
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Higuera
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with fig trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,627 Americans carry the last name Higuera. That puts it at #7,889 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,077 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Higuera 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
4.6K
1 in 74,077
Census rank
#7,889
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,035 bearers of the surname Higuera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7889th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Higuera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Higuera
The surname Higuera is of Spanish origin, deriving from the Spanish word "higuera" which translates to "fig tree" in English. This name likely originated in regions of Spain where fig trees were prevalent, such as Andalusia or Valencia.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Higuera can be traced back to the 13th century, appearing in various historical documents and records from that era. One notable mention is in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document detailing the distribution of lands and properties in Seville after its reconquest by the Christian forces in 1248.
During the 15th century, the Higuera surname gained prominence with the birth of Gaspar de la Higuera (1455-1528), a Spanish historian and forger of historical documents. His infamous forgeries, including the "Pseudo-chronicles" of Spain, caused significant controversy and debates among scholars.
In the 16th century, Pedro de Higuera (1504-1572) was a notable Spanish painter and sculptor from Toledo. His works adorned various churches and cathedrals throughout Spain, showcasing his skill in religious artwork.
The 17th century saw the birth of Rodrigo de Higuera y Amarilla (1622-1679), a Spanish jurist and author who served as a magistrate in the Royal Chancery of Granada. His legal writings and commentaries on Spanish law were widely respected during his time.
In the 18th century, Manuel Higuera (1739-1805) was a Spanish military officer and cartographer. He is renowned for his detailed maps and charts of various regions of the Spanish Empire, contributing significantly to the development of cartography during that era.
The 19th century brought forth Joaquín Higuera (1854-1918), a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Spanish Congress of Deputies, representing the province of Cordoba. He was actively involved in the political debates and reforms of his time.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Higuera throughout history, highlighting its Spanish roots and the diverse contributions of those who bore this name across various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Higuera
Among Census respondents with the surname Higuera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Higuera 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 Higuera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino87.7% · 3,540
- White8.9% · 359
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 60
- Two or more races0.8% · 33
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 25
- Black or African American0.4% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Higuera
Higuera 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
#7,812
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,238
+1,079 bearers (+34.2%)
Per 100,000 1.44
Rank movement Up 1,630 places
2020
#7,889
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,035
-203 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Down 77 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,442 | 3,159 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,812 | 4,238 | 1.44 | +1,079 bearers (+34.2%) | Up 1,630 places |
| 2020 | #7,889 | 4,035 | 1.35 | -203 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 77 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 Higuera 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 | #7,812 | #7,889 | -1.0% |
| Count | 4,238 | 4,035 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.44 | 1.35 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Higuera bearers went from 4,238 to 4,035 (-4.8% change). The surname moved down 77 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,812 to #7,889.
FAQ
Higuera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Higuera?
Name Census estimates that about 4,627 living Americans carry the surname Higuera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 74,077 residents.
How common is Higuera?
Higuera ranks #7,889 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,035 people with the surname Higuera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,627), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Higuera.
Has Higuera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Higuera went from 4,238 recorded bearers to 4,035. That is a decrease of 203 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,812 to #7,889.
What does the Census say about the background of Higuera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Higuera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%). 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 Higuera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.7% (3,540 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Higuera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (87.7%), White (8.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%). 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 Higuera (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 Higuera mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with fig trees. 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 Higuera (1.35 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 Higuera?
You can see how many people have the last name Higuera on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.