2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Inay
A surname of Tagalog origin, meaning "mother" or "nanny."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Inay. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Inay 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Inay in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Inay, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (8.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Inay
The surname INAY has its origins in the Philippines, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Tagalog word "inay," which translates to "mother" or "matriarch." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon families or clans that were led by a revered matriarchal figure.
During the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th centuries, it was common for indigenous Filipinos to adopt Spanish surnames as a means of assimilation. The Inay surname likely emerged during this time, possibly as a result of the Catholic Church's influence on naming practices or as a way for families to preserve their cultural heritage while adopting a Spanish-sounding name.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Inay surname can be found in the Libro de Indios, a census document compiled by Spanish authorities in the 17th century. This record provides valuable insights into the distribution of the name across various regions of the Philippine archipelago.
In the late 18th century, a prominent figure named Gregorio Inay rose to prominence as a leader of the Guardia de Honor, a group of Filipino soldiers who fought alongside the Spanish forces during the Seven Years' War against the British. Gregorio Inay's bravery and leadership earned him recognition from the Spanish colonial authorities.
Another notable individual bearing the Inay surname was Josefa Inay, a respected midwife and healer who lived in the town of Taal, Batangas, in the early 19th century. Josefa's expertise in traditional Filipino medicine and her dedication to serving her community made her a highly regarded figure in her time.
During the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century, several individuals with the Inay surname played crucial roles in the struggle for independence. One such figure was Teodoro Inay, a member of the Katipunan revolutionary society, who fought alongside other Filipino patriots to overthrow Spanish dominion.
As the Philippines transitioned into the 20th century, the Inay surname continued to be associated with notable individuals. One such person was Maria Inay, a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the province of Bulacan in the early 1900s, making significant contributions to advancing education and empowering women in her community.
The surname INAY has a rich history deeply rooted in the cultural and historical fabric of the Philippines. While its origins can be traced back to the 16th century, the name has endured through various significant periods, reflecting the resilience and strength of the Filipino people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Inay
Among Census respondents with the surname Inay, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (8.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Inay 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 Inay surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander75.2% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino9.7% · 11
- Two or more races8.0% · 9
- White6.2% · 7
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Inay
Inay appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,001 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,001 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 Inay 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 | #145,220 | #147,221 | -1.4% |
| Count | 114 | 113 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Inay bearers went from 114 to 113 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 2,001 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #147,221.
FAQ
Inay surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Inay?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Inay. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Inay?
Inay ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 113 people with the surname Inay. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Inay.
Has Inay become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Inay went from 114 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Inay?
Among Census respondents with the surname Inay, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (8.0%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Inay in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.2% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Inay appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (75.2%), Hispanic (9.7%), Two or More Races (8.0%). 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 Inay (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 Inay mean?
A surname of Tagalog origin, meaning "mother" or "nanny." 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 Inay (0.04 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 common is the surname Inay?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Inay is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.