2000
#5,527
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,780
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.14
Rare Last name
Magdaleno
Of Magdalene, a biblical place name, likely referring to someone from Magdala or a place with a similar name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,450 Americans carry the last name Magdaleno. That puts it at #4,669 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 40,563 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Magdaleno 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
8.4K
1 in 40,563
Census rank
#4,669
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,369 bearers of the surname Magdaleno in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4669th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Magdaleno, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.0%. The next largest groups are White (5.4%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Magdaleno
The surname Magdaleno is of Spanish origin, derived from the personal name Magdalena, which was a feminine form of the Hebrew name Migdal, meaning "tower" or "fortress." The name Magdalena was popularized in Christian cultures due to its association with Mary Magdalene, one of the most revered figures in the New Testament.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Magdaleno can be traced back to the late 15th century in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Castile, and Aragon. It is believed that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname, referring to individuals who lived near a tower or fortified structure.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Magdaleno surname was Gaspar Magdaleno, a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. He was among the first Europeans to settle in the region and is mentioned in several historical accounts of the time.
In the 17th century, the Magdaleno family gained prominence in the city of Seville, where they were involved in various trades and professions. Juan Magdaleno (1578-1648), a renowned silversmith, and his son, Pedro Magdaleno (1615-1677), a skilled sculptor, were both celebrated artists of their time.
During the 18th century, the surname Magdaleno spread beyond Spain to other parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Philippines and Latin America. Notably, Fray Bernardo Magdaleno (1738-1811) was a Spanish missionary who played a significant role in the establishment of the Catholic Church in California.
In the 19th century, the Magdaleno surname was found in various parts of Mexico, with several notable figures bearing the name. Ignacio Magdaleno (1812-1891) was a Mexican politician and lawyer who served as a senator and governor of the state of Jalisco. His son, Francisco Magdaleno (1843-1911), was a renowned poet and journalist who contributed to the literary renaissance in Mexico.
Throughout its history, the surname Magdaleno has been associated with various professions, including military service, the arts, religion, and politics. While its origins can be traced back to Spain, the name has spread across continents and cultures, reflecting the diverse heritage and experiences of those who bear it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Magdaleno
Among Census respondents with the surname Magdaleno, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.0%. The next largest groups are White (5.4%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Magdaleno 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 Magdaleno surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino93.0% · 6,851
- White5.4% · 398
- Black or African American0.5% · 39
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 33
- Two or more races0.3% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 23
Timeline
Historical Census data for Magdaleno
Magdaleno 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
#4,461
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,956
+2,176 bearers (+37.6%)
Per 100,000 2.70
Rank movement Up 1,066 places
2020
#4,669
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,369
-587 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 2.47
Rank movement Down 208 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,527 | 5,780 | 2.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,461 | 7,956 | 2.70 | +2,176 bearers (+37.6%) | Up 1,066 places |
| 2020 | #4,669 | 7,369 | 2.47 | -587 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 208 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 Magdaleno 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 | #4,461 | #4,669 | -4.7% |
| Count | 7,956 | 7,369 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 2.70 | 2.47 | -8.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Magdaleno bearers went from 7,956 to 7,369 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 208 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,461 to #4,669.
FAQ
Magdaleno surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Magdaleno?
Name Census estimates that about 8,450 living Americans carry the surname Magdaleno. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 40,563 residents.
How common is Magdaleno?
Magdaleno ranks #4,669 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.47 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,369 people with the surname Magdaleno. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,450), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.47 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Magdaleno.
Has Magdaleno become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Magdaleno went from 7,956 recorded bearers to 7,369. That is a decrease of 587 (-7.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,461 to #4,669.
What does the Census say about the background of Magdaleno?
Among Census respondents with the surname Magdaleno, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.0%. The next largest groups are White (5.4%) and Black (0.5%). 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 Magdaleno in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (6,851 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Magdaleno appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (93.0%), White (5.4%), Black (0.5%). 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 Magdaleno (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 Magdaleno mean?
Of Magdalene, a biblical place name, likely referring to someone from Magdala or a place with a similar name. 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 Magdaleno (2.47 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 Magdaleno?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.