2000
#2,074
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,029
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.94
Uncommon Last name
Lopes
A Portuguese and Galician surname derived from the Latin word "lupus," meaning "wolf."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 21,140 Americans carry the last name Lopes. That puts it at #1,911 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 6.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 16,214 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lopes 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lopes with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
21K
1 in 16,214
Census rank
#1,911
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
18K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 18,435 bearers of the surname Lopes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 6.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1911th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lopes, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.7%) and Black (16.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lopes
The surname Lopes has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain. It is derived from the Latin word "lupus," meaning "wolf." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages as a nickname or descriptive term, possibly referring to a person's physical appearance, behavior, or occupation related to wolves or hunting.
In Portugal, the surname Lopes can be traced back to the 12th century, with records indicating its presence in various regions, including the northern areas of Entre-Douro e Minho and Trás-os-Montes. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Fernão Lopes, a renowned Portuguese chronicler who lived from around 1380 to 1459. He is celebrated for his comprehensive chronicles of the reigns of Portuguese kings, providing invaluable historical accounts.
The surname Lopes also has a long history in Spain, particularly in regions like Galicia and Castile. In the 13th century, the name appeared in documents such as the Libro de las Behetrías de Castilla, which recorded landowners and their properties. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Lope de Vega (1562-1635), a celebrated Spanish playwright and poet considered one of the greatest figures in the Spanish Golden Age of literature.
In the 15th century, the surname Lopes gained prominence in Portugal with the explorer Fernão Lopes de Azevedo, who embarked on voyages to the coast of Africa and was instrumental in establishing trade routes and settlements. Another notable figure was Pedro Lopes de Sousa (1530-1586), a Portuguese military commander who played a significant role in the Portuguese colonial expansion in Brazil.
During the Age of Exploration, the surname Lopes spread to various parts of the world as Portuguese and Spanish explorers, settlers, and colonists ventured to new territories. It can be found in regions with strong Portuguese and Spanish influences, such as South America, Africa, and parts of Asia.
Other notable individuals bearing the surname Lopes include João Lopes Carrilho (1513-1597), a Portuguese navigator and explorer known for his expeditions to the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, and Fernão Lopes de Castanheda (1500-1559), a Portuguese historian and author who wrote extensively about the Portuguese discoveries and conquests in the Indian Ocean region.
Overall, the surname Lopes has a rich historical background, reflecting the cultural and linguistic influences of the Iberian Peninsula and its far-reaching global presence during the era of exploration and colonization.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lopes
Among Census respondents with the surname Lopes, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.7%) and Black (16.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Lopes 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 Lopes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White54.9% · 10,126
- Hispanic or Latino19.7% · 3,637
- Black or African American16.5% · 3,050
- Two or more races5.1% · 941
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.3% · 613
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 68
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lopes
Lopes 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
#1,976
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,310
+2,281 bearers (+14.2%)
Per 100,000 6.21
Rank movement Up 98 places
2020
#1,911
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,435
+125 bearers (+0.7%)
Per 100,000 6.17
Rank movement Up 65 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,074 | 16,029 | 5.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,976 | 18,310 | 6.21 | +2,281 bearers (+14.2%) | Up 98 places |
| 2020 | #1,911 | 18,435 | 6.17 | +125 bearers (+0.7%) | Up 65 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 Lopes 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 | #1,976 | #1,911 | 3.3% |
| Count | 18,310 | 18,435 | 0.7% |
| Per 100K | 6.21 | 6.17 | -0.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lopes bearers went from 18,310 to 18,435 (+0.7% change). The surname moved up 65 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,976 to #1,911.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lopes
FAQ
Lopes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lopes?
Name Census estimates that about 21,140 living Americans carry the surname Lopes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 16,214 residents.
How common is Lopes?
Lopes ranks #1,911 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 6.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 18,435 people with the surname Lopes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (21,140), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 6.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 6.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Lopes.
Has Lopes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lopes went from 18,310 recorded bearers to 18,435. That is an increase of 125 (+0.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,976 to #1,911.
What does the Census say about the background of Lopes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lopes, the largest self-reported group is White at 54.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.7%) and Black (16.5%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lopes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 54.9% (10,126 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lopes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (54.9%), Hispanic (19.7%), Black (16.5%). 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 Lopes (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 Lopes mean?
A Portuguese and Galician surname derived from the Latin word "lupus," meaning "wolf." 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 Lopes (6.17 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 people have the last name Lopes?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Lopes on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.