2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Minalga
An uncommon surname possibly derived from indigenous Mexican language elements.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Minalga. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Minalga 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Minalga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Minalga, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Minalga
The surname MINALGA has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, dating back to the medieval period. Derived from the Basque word "minal," meaning "heather," and "ga," signifying "place," it is believed to have been a locational name initially assigned to individuals residing near areas abundant in heather.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to a 13th-century cartulary from the town of Bayonne, where a certain Petri de Minalga is mentioned as a landowner. This document provides evidence of the name's establishment in the region during that era.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the MINALGA surname was Juan de Minalga, a prominent merchant and alderman in the town of San Sebastián. His influence and wealth were significant enough to warrant mentions in local chronicles and records of the time.
During the 16th century, the MINALGA name spread beyond the Basque region, with several individuals appearing in historical documents across Spain and France. One such example is María Minalga de Aragón, born in 1523, who was a renowned poet and author in her time, celebrated for her contributions to the literary world.
In the 17th century, the MINALGA surname gained further recognition when Pedro Minalga, born in 1612, became a renowned explorer and cartographer. His detailed maps and accounts of his travels through the Americas were highly influential and contributed significantly to the geographical knowledge of the era.
As the centuries progressed, the MINALGA name continued to be found in various parts of Europe, with individuals leaving their mark in various fields. One notable figure was Ignacio Minalga, born in 1789, a Spanish military commander who played a crucial role in the Peninsular War against Napoleonic forces.
While the surname MINALGA may not be as widespread today as some others, its rich history and roots in the Basque region have left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Minalga
Among Census respondents with the surname Minalga, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Minalga 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 Minalga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 108
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Minalga
Minalga 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+7 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,204 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,578 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.9%) | Down 2,204 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Up 3,578 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 Minalga 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 | #151,532 | #147,954 | 2.4% |
| Count | 108 | 112 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Minalga bearers went from 108 to 112 (+3.7% change). The surname moved up 3,578 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #147,954.
FAQ
Minalga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Minalga?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Minalga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Minalga?
Minalga ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Minalga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Minalga.
Has Minalga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Minalga went from 108 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 4 (+3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Minalga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Minalga, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Minalga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Minalga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Minalga (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 Minalga mean?
An uncommon surname possibly derived from indigenous Mexican language elements. 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 Minalga (0.04 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 Minalga?
Want to know how many people have the last name Minalga? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.