2000
#17,996
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,430
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.53
Rare Last name
Marchan
A French occupational surname for a merchant or trader.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,088 Americans carry the last name Marchan. That puts it at #15,493 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 164,154 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marchan 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
2.1K
1 in 164,154
Census rank
#15,493
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,821 bearers of the surname Marchan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15493rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marchan, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (6.6%) and White (5.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marchan
The surname Marchan is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the Normandy region, during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old French word "marchand," which means "merchant" or "trader." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were individuals involved in commercial activities, potentially merchants or traders by profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marchan can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation conducted in England in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Marchant" and "Marchaunt," reflecting the evolution of language and spelling conventions over time.
During the Middle Ages, the Marchan family is believed to have been prominent in the Normandy region of France. Records indicate that a certain Jean Marchan, born around 1320, was a respected merchant and landowner in the town of Rouen. He is said to have played a significant role in the local trade and commerce of the area.
In the 15th century, the Marchan name gained prominence in England, particularly during the reign of King Henry VI (1422-1461). Historical documents mention a Sir William Marchan, born in 1410, who served as a knight and advisor to the king. He is noted for his participation in the Hundred Years' War against France and his contributions to the English court.
Another notable figure bearing the Marchan surname was Jacques Marchan, a French explorer and navigator born in 1575. He is credited with leading several expeditions to the Americas and establishing trade routes between France and the New World colonies.
In the 17th century, the Marchan family had a presence in the Netherlands, where a certain Pieter Marchan, born in 1620, was a prominent merchant and trader in the city of Amsterdam. He is said to have established successful trade connections with various European and Asian markets.
As the name Marchan spread across different regions and countries, its spelling evolved further, giving rise to variations such as Marchant, Marchaunt, and Marchant. These variations can be found in historical records and documents throughout Europe and beyond.
It is important to note that while this information provides a general overview of the surname Marchan and its potential origins, the specific details and historical accuracy may vary depending on the availability and reliability of records from different time periods and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marchan
Among Census respondents with the surname Marchan, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (6.6%) and White (5.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Marchan 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 Marchan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino81.7% · 1,488
- Black or African American6.6% · 121
- White5.6% · 102
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.1% · 74
- Two or more races1.8% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Marchan
Marchan 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
#13,843
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,184
+754 bearers (+52.7%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Up 4,153 places
2020
#15,493
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,821
-363 bearers (-16.6%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Down 1,650 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,996 | 1,430 | 0.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,843 | 2,184 | 0.74 | +754 bearers (+52.7%) | Up 4,153 places |
| 2020 | #15,493 | 1,821 | 0.61 | -363 bearers (-16.6%) | Down 1,650 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 Marchan 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 | #13,843 | #15,493 | -11.9% |
| Count | 2,184 | 1,821 | -16.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.61 | -17.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Marchan bearers went from 2,184 to 1,821 (-16.6% change). The surname moved down 1,650 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,843 to #15,493.
FAQ
Marchan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Marchan?
Name Census estimates that about 2,088 living Americans carry the surname Marchan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 164,154 residents.
How common is Marchan?
Marchan ranks #15,493 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 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 1,821 people with the surname Marchan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,088), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 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 Marchan.
Has Marchan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Marchan went from 2,184 recorded bearers to 1,821. That is a decrease of 363 (-16.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,843 to #15,493.
What does the Census say about the background of Marchan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marchan, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.7%. The next largest groups are Black (6.6%) and White (5.6%). 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 Marchan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.7% (1,488 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Marchan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (81.7%), Black (6.6%), White (5.6%). 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 Marchan (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 Marchan mean?
A French occupational surname for a merchant or trader. 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 Marchan (0.61 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 Americans have the surname Marchan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.