2000
#17,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,526
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.57
Rare Last name
Mancera
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Mancera in Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,811 Americans carry the last name Mancera. That puts it at #12,140 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.82 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 121,933 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mancera 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
2.8K
1 in 121,933
Census rank
#12,140
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,451 bearers of the surname Mancera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.82 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12140th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mancera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mancera
The surname Mancera originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Andalusia. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Spanish word "mancera," which means "one who resides or works on a farm or estate."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mancera can be found in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document dating back to the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and property among the conquistadors who participated in the reconquest of Seville from the Moors. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Mancera, suggesting that the name was already well-established by that time.
The name Mancera may have also been influenced by the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, as the word "mancera" bears some resemblance to the Arabic word "manqar," which means "place of quarry or mining." This connection could indicate that some of the earliest bearers of the surname may have been involved in mining or quarrying activities.
In the 15th century, during the reign of King Juan II of Castile, a prominent figure named Rodrigo Mancera served as a military commander and played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain. His bravery and loyalty earned him recognition, and his descendants continued to carry the Mancera name with pride.
Another notable individual with the surname Mancera was Pedro de Mancera y Zúñiga (1607-1650), a Spanish nobleman who served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1664 to 1673. He was known for his efforts to improve infrastructure, promote education, and defend the colony against pirate attacks.
In the realm of literature, the Spanish playwright and poet José de Mancera (1628-1684) gained recognition for his works, which included plays and religious poetry. His contributions to the Golden Age of Spanish literature have been celebrated by scholars and literary enthusiasts.
The surname Mancera can also be found in various parts of Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Peru, where it was likely introduced by Spanish settlers and conquistadors during the colonial era. Over the centuries, individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, military, arts, and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mancera
Among Census respondents with the surname Mancera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mancera 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 Mancera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.2% · 2,333
- White3.1% · 75
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 27
- Two or more races0.4% · 10
- Black or African American0.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mancera
Mancera 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
#12,732
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,424
+898 bearers (+58.8%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Up 4,409 places
2020
#12,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,451
+27 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Up 592 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,141 | 1,526 | 0.57 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,732 | 2,424 | 0.82 | +898 bearers (+58.8%) | Up 4,409 places |
| 2020 | #12,140 | 2,451 | 0.82 | +27 bearers (+1.1%) | Up 592 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 Mancera 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 | #12,732 | #12,140 | 4.6% |
| Count | 2,424 | 2,451 | 1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.82 | 0.82 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mancera bearers went from 2,424 to 2,451 (+1.1% change). The surname moved up 592 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,732 to #12,140.
FAQ
Mancera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mancera?
Name Census estimates that about 2,811 living Americans carry the surname Mancera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 121,933 residents.
How common is Mancera?
Mancera ranks #12,140 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.82 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 2,451 people with the surname Mancera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,811), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.82 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.82 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 Mancera.
Has Mancera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mancera went from 2,424 recorded bearers to 2,451. That is an increase of 27 (+1.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,732 to #12,140.
What does the Census say about the background of Mancera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mancera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Mancera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (2,333 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mancera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.2%), White (3.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Mancera (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 Mancera mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Mancera in Spain. 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 Mancera (0.82 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 common is the surname Mancera?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Mancera on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.