2000
#5,252
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.26
Uncommon Last name
Meraz
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from a place called Meraz, likely derived from Arabic "miras" meaning "harbor."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,025 Americans carry the last name Meraz. That puts it at #3,941 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 34,190 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meraz 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
10K
1 in 34,190
Census rank
#3,941
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.7K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,742 bearers of the surname Meraz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3941st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meraz, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meraz
The surname Meraz is of Spanish origin, originating from the northern regions of Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Spanish word "meraz," meaning "a small patch of land used for growing fruit trees or vineyards." The earliest recorded instance of this surname dates back to the 13th century, found in records from the Kingdom of Aragon.
One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Sancho Meraz, a landowner and viticulturist who lived in the village of Ainsa, in the province of Huesca, during the late 13th century. His name appears in several property deeds and records from that time, indicating the Meraz family's involvement in agriculture and winemaking.
In the 14th century, the Meraz surname began to spread beyond the northern regions of Spain, with records showing individuals bearing this name in cities like Valencia and Barcelona. During this period, some variations in spelling emerged, such as Meratz and Merás, likely due to regional dialects and scribal errors.
A notable figure in the history of the Meraz surname was Juan Meraz, a respected scholar and theologian who lived in Zaragoza in the late 15th century. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time. Another individual of historical significance was Rodrigo Meraz, a skilled navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493.
As the Meraz family continued to expand and migrate within Spain, their presence was documented in various regions throughout the centuries. In the 16th century, records show a Meraz family residing in the town of Quintanar de la Orden, in the province of Toledo. One of their descendants, Alonso Meraz, was a renowned architect who contributed to the construction of several notable churches and buildings in the region.
Another prominent figure with the Meraz surname was María Meraz, a brave and influential figure during the Spanish War of Independence against the French in the early 19th century. She played a crucial role in organizing resistance efforts and is remembered as a symbol of courage and patriotism.
Throughout the centuries, the Meraz surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, musicians, writers, and scholars. While the name may have originated from a humble agricultural background, it has since become a part of Spain's rich cultural and historical tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meraz
Among Census respondents with the surname Meraz, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Meraz 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 Meraz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.5% · 8,263
- White4.3% · 378
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 31
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 27
- Two or more races0.3% · 24
- Black or African American0.2% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meraz
Meraz 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
#4,119
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,616
+2,510 bearers (+41.1%)
Per 100,000 2.92
Rank movement Up 1,133 places
2020
#3,941
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,742
+126 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 2.92
Rank movement Up 178 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,252 | 6,106 | 2.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,119 | 8,616 | 2.92 | +2,510 bearers (+41.1%) | Up 1,133 places |
| 2020 | #3,941 | 8,742 | 2.92 | +126 bearers (+1.5%) | Up 178 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 Meraz 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 | #4,119 | #3,941 | 4.3% |
| Count | 8,616 | 8,742 | 1.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.92 | 2.92 | 0.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meraz bearers went from 8,616 to 8,742 (+1.5% change). The surname moved up 178 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,119 to #3,941.
FAQ
Meraz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meraz?
Name Census estimates that about 10,025 living Americans carry the surname Meraz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 34,190 residents.
How common is Meraz?
Meraz ranks #3,941 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.92 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,742 people with the surname Meraz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,025), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.92 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Meraz.
Has Meraz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meraz went from 8,616 recorded bearers to 8,742. That is an increase of 126 (+1.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,119 to #3,941.
What does the Census say about the background of Meraz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meraz, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Meraz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.5% (8,263 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meraz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.5%), White (4.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%). 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 Meraz (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 Meraz mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from a place called Meraz, likely derived from Arabic "miras" meaning "harbor." 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 Meraz (2.92 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 Meraz?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Meraz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.