2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Magsayo
A Filipino surname possibly derived from the Tagalog word "magsayo" meaning farmer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 218 Americans carry the last name Magsayo. That puts it at #101,282 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,572,268 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Magsayo 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
218
1 in 1,572,268
Census rank
#101,282
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
190
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 190 bearers of the surname Magsayo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 101282nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Magsayo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 80.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (7.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Magsayo
The surname Magsayo is of Filipino origin, tracing its roots back to the early 19th century in the Visayan region of the Philippines. It is believed to have derived from the Visayan words "mag" meaning "to do" or "to make" and "sayo" meaning "you," suggesting a connection to a particular occupation or trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Magsayo can be found in the Spanish colonial records from the town of Bacolod, located in the province of Negros Occidental. These records mention a family by the name of Magsayo, who were landowners and influential members of the local community in the 1830s.
During the late 19th century, the name Magsayo gained prominence with the birth of Mariano Magsayo (1864-1942), a prominent figure in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. Magsayo served as a captain in the revolutionary forces and later became a respected leader in his hometown of Silay, Negros Occidental.
In the early 20th century, the Magsayo name was further distinguished by the achievements of Emilio Magsayo (1892-1973), a renowned educator and writer from Cebu City. Magsayo authored several books on Filipino literature and language, and his works played a vital role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the Visayan region.
Another notable figure bearing the Magsayo surname was Josefa Magsayo (1903-1987), a celebrated artist and sculptor from Bacolod. Her intricate wood carvings and sculptures depicting Filipino life and culture were widely acclaimed and can be found in various museums and galleries across the Philippines.
In more recent history, the Magsayo name gained international recognition through the achievements of Gabriel "Flash" Magsayo (born 1988), a professional boxer from Tagbilaran City, Bohol. Magsayo has won multiple titles, including the WBC Asia Continental featherweight championship, and has represented the Philippines in various international boxing competitions.
While the Magsayo surname may not have appeared in renowned historical manuscripts like the Domesday Book, its presence in the Philippines can be traced back to the early 19th century, with notable individuals contributing to various fields such as revolution, education, arts, and sports throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Magsayo
Among Census respondents with the surname Magsayo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 80.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (7.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Magsayo 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 Magsayo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander80.0% · 152
- Hispanic or Latino7.4% · 14
- Two or more races7.4% · 14
- White4.7% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Magsayo
Magsayo 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
#100,791
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 179
+51 bearers (+39.8%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 23,318 places
2020
#101,282
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 190
+11 bearers (+6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 491 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #100,791 | 179 | 0.06 | +51 bearers (+39.8%) | Up 23,318 places |
| 2020 | #101,282 | 190 | 0.06 | +11 bearers (+6.1%) | Down 491 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 Magsayo 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 | #100,791 | #101,282 | -0.5% |
| Count | 179 | 190 | 6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | 5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Magsayo bearers went from 179 to 190 (+6.1% change). The surname moved down 491 positions in the national ranking, going from #100,791 to #101,282.
FAQ
Magsayo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Magsayo?
Name Census estimates that about 218 living Americans carry the surname Magsayo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,572,268 residents.
How common is Magsayo?
Magsayo ranks #101,282 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 190 people with the surname Magsayo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (218), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Magsayo.
Has Magsayo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Magsayo went from 179 recorded bearers to 190. That is an increase of 11 (+6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #100,791 to #101,282.
What does the Census say about the background of Magsayo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Magsayo, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 80.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (7.4%). 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 Magsayo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.0% (152 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Magsayo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (80.0%), Hispanic (7.4%), Two or More Races (7.4%). 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 Magsayo (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 Magsayo mean?
A Filipino surname possibly derived from the Tagalog word "magsayo" meaning farmer. 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 Magsayo (0.06 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 are called Magsayo?
Find out how many people have the last name Magsayo on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.