2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Macagba
A surname meaning a seller or trader of macaque monkeys.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Macagba. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Macagba 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Macagba in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Macagba, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and Hispanic (8.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Macagba
The surname MACAGBA has its origins traced back to the Philippines, with the earliest records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Visayan region, specifically in the provinces of Leyte and Samar. The name is thought to be derived from the Visayan word "agbaw," which means "to rise or emerge," possibly referring to the ancestors of the MACAGBA family who lived in coastal areas or near bodies of water.
One of the earliest documented references to the MACAGBA name can be found in the Spanish colonial records from the late 1500s, where it was spelled as "Macagba." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been influenced by the Spanish language during the colonization period. Historical records also indicate that the MACAGBA family played a role in the resistance against Spanish colonial rule, with several members participating in uprisings and battles.
In the 18th century, the MACAGBA name appeared in various church records and land ownership documents in the Visayan region. Notable individuals from this period include Juan MACAGBA (1725-1798), a prominent landowner and community leader in the town of Baybay, Leyte, and Maria MACAGBA (1748-1822), who was known for her involvement in local religious activities.
As the MACAGBA family spread across the Philippines, the name took on different spellings and variations, such as "Macagbang," "Macagbahan," and "Macagbay." This diversity in spellings reflects the linguistic influences and regional dialects within the country.
In the 19th century, the MACAGBA name gained prominence with several notable figures, including:
1. Pedro MACAGBA (1820-1892), a respected educator and author who wrote extensively on Philippine history and culture.
2. Josefa MACAGBA (1835-1904), a renowned weaver and textile artist whose works were exhibited in international exhibitions.
3. Vicente MACAGBA (1848-1923), a prominent politician who served as a member of the Philippine Commission during the American colonial period.
As the 20th century dawned, the MACAGBA family continued to make contributions in various fields, such as:
4. Carlos MACAGBA (1902-1988), a celebrated painter and sculptor whose works captured the beauty and diversity of Philippine landscapes and traditions.
5. Lourdes MACAGBA (1920-2005), a pioneering female scientist who made significant contributions to the field of marine biology.
Throughout its rich history, the MACAGBA name has been associated with a strong sense of cultural identity, resilience, and a commitment to preserving the traditions and heritage of the Philippines.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Macagba
Among Census respondents with the surname Macagba, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and Hispanic (8.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Macagba 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 Macagba surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander77.2% · 88
- Two or more races10.5% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 10
- White3.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Macagba
Macagba 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
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+14 bearers (+14.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,480 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+14.0%) | Up 14,480 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 Macagba 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 | #146,495 | 9.0% |
| Count | 100 | 114 | 14.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 27.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Macagba bearers went from 100 to 114 (+14.0% change). The surname moved up 14,480 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #146,495.
FAQ
Macagba surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Macagba?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Macagba. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Macagba?
Macagba ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Macagba. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Macagba.
Has Macagba become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Macagba went from 100 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 14 (+14.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Macagba?
Among Census respondents with the surname Macagba, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.5%) and Hispanic (8.8%). 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 Macagba in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.2% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Macagba appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (77.2%), Two or More Races (10.5%), Hispanic (8.8%). 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 Macagba (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 Macagba mean?
A surname meaning a seller or trader of macaque monkeys. 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 Macagba (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 many people have the surname Macagba?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.