2000
#11,758
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,441
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Licea
A Spanish habitational surname derived from the place name Licea, likely referring to an area with oak trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,157 Americans carry the last name Licea. That puts it at #8,687 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 82,452 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Licea 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
4.2K
1 in 82,452
Census rank
#8,687
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,625 bearers of the surname Licea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8687th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Licea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.6%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Black (0.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Licea
The surname Licea has its origins in Spain, emerging in the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "licium," which referred to a type of thread or cord used for weaving. In the early days, the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the textile industry or related trades.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Licea surname can be found in the Cartulario de Silos, a manuscript dating back to the 11th century. This document contains references to individuals bearing this surname, indicating its presence in the region of Castile during that time.
Historical records also suggest that the Licea name was particularly prevalent in the Basque region of Spain. The town of Licera, located in the province of Álava, may have served as a place of origin for some families bearing this surname, as place names often contributed to the formation of surnames in medieval times.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Sancho Licea was mentioned in the Fuero de Plasencia, a legal code governing the town of Plasencia in Extremadura. This reference provides evidence of the surname's presence in western Spain during that era.
Another notable individual was Diego Licea, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. His participation in this significant historical event highlights the presence of the Licea surname among the early Spanish explorers and colonists in the Americas.
In the 18th century, a renowned Spanish painter, Antonio Licea, gained recognition for his works, which are now exhibited in various museums across Spain. Born in Murcia in 1720 and dying in 1784, he left a lasting legacy in the art world, showcasing the cultural contributions of individuals bearing this surname.
As the Licea surname spread throughout Spain and its territories, it eventually found its way to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. Today, the name can be found in various Spanish-speaking countries, carrying with it a rich history and cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Licea
Among Census respondents with the surname Licea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.6%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Black (0.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Licea 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 Licea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.6% · 3,467
- White3.5% · 128
- Black or African American0.3% · 12
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 9
- Two or more races0.2% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Licea
Licea 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
#8,860
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,698
+1,257 bearers (+51.5%)
Per 100,000 1.25
Rank movement Up 2,898 places
2020
#8,687
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,625
-73 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 1.21
Rank movement Up 173 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,758 | 2,441 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,860 | 3,698 | 1.25 | +1,257 bearers (+51.5%) | Up 2,898 places |
| 2020 | #8,687 | 3,625 | 1.21 | -73 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 173 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 Licea 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 | #8,860 | #8,687 | 2.0% |
| Count | 3,698 | 3,625 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.25 | 1.21 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Licea bearers went from 3,698 to 3,625 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 173 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,860 to #8,687.
FAQ
Licea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Licea?
Name Census estimates that about 4,157 living Americans carry the surname Licea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 82,452 residents.
How common is Licea?
Licea ranks #8,687 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.21 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 3,625 people with the surname Licea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,157), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.21 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.21 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 Licea.
Has Licea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Licea went from 3,698 recorded bearers to 3,625. That is a decrease of 73 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,860 to #8,687.
What does the Census say about the background of Licea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Licea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.6%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Black (0.3%). 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 Licea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (3,467 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Licea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.6%), White (3.5%), Black (0.3%). 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 Licea (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 Licea mean?
A Spanish habitational surname derived from the place name Licea, likely referring to an area with oak 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 Licea (1.21 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 Licea?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.