2000
#4,124
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,943
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.94
Uncommon Last name
Montenegro
A toponymic surname referring to someone from Montenegro, a country in Southeastern Europe bordering the Adriatic Sea.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,416 Americans carry the last name Montenegro. That puts it at #3,255 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,606 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Montenegro 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
12K
1 in 27,606
Census rank
#3,255
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,827 bearers of the surname Montenegro in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3255th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Montenegro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (7.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Montenegro
The surname Montenegro has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the region of Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It dates back to the 14th century and is derived from the Spanish words "monte" meaning "mountain" and "negro" meaning "black." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or in a prominent black or dark-colored mountain range.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Montenegro can be found in the Spanish census records of 1384, where a certain Pedro Montenegro is listed as a resident of the town of Consuegra, in the province of Toledo. The name also appears in several medieval manuscripts and chronicles from the region, further cementing its Spanish origins.
During the 16th century, the name Montenegro began to spread across the Iberian Peninsula and beyond, as Spanish explorers and conquistadors ventured to the Americas and other parts of the world. One notable figure with this surname was Rodrigo de Montenegro y Buitrago (1515-1590), a Spanish soldier and explorer who played a significant role in the conquest of Chile.
In the 17th century, the name Montenegro gained prominence in Italy, particularly in the city of Naples, where a noble family bearing this surname held significant influence. One of the most famous members of this Italian branch was Giovanni Battista Montenegro (1663-1728), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Naples, including the Church of San Francesco delle Monache.
Another prominent individual with the surname Montenegro was Pedro Antonio de Montenegro y Cuenca (1711-1789), a Spanish military officer and colonial governor who served as the Governor of Panama from 1765 to 1768. His leadership during this period was instrumental in strengthening Spanish control over the region.
In the 19th century, the name Montenegro crossed the Atlantic and established a presence in the Americas. One notable figure from this era was José Montenegro Campuzano (1843-1917), a Colombian politician and diplomat who served as the President of Colombia from 1908 to 1909.
Throughout its history, the surname Montenegro has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including nobles, military leaders, artists, and politicians. While its origins can be traced back to Spain, the name has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the global reach of Spanish influence and migration patterns over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Montenegro
Among Census respondents with the surname Montenegro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (7.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Montenegro 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 Montenegro surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino87.7% · 9,491
- White7.1% · 767
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.9% · 423
- Black or African American0.6% · 66
- Two or more races0.5% · 58
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Montenegro
Montenegro 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
#3,365
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,606
+2,663 bearers (+33.5%)
Per 100,000 3.60
Rank movement Up 759 places
2020
#3,255
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,827
+221 bearers (+2.1%)
Per 100,000 3.62
Rank movement Up 110 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,124 | 7,943 | 2.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,365 | 10,606 | 3.60 | +2,663 bearers (+33.5%) | Up 759 places |
| 2020 | #3,255 | 10,827 | 3.62 | +221 bearers (+2.1%) | Up 110 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 Montenegro 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 | #3,365 | #3,255 | 3.3% |
| Count | 10,606 | 10,827 | 2.1% |
| Per 100K | 3.60 | 3.62 | 0.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Montenegro bearers went from 10,606 to 10,827 (+2.1% change). The surname moved up 110 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,365 to #3,255.
FAQ
Montenegro surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Montenegro?
Name Census estimates that about 12,416 living Americans carry the surname Montenegro. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,606 residents.
How common is Montenegro?
Montenegro ranks #3,255 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,827 people with the surname Montenegro. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,416), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Montenegro.
Has Montenegro become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Montenegro went from 10,606 recorded bearers to 10,827. That is an increase of 221 (+2.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,365 to #3,255.
What does the Census say about the background of Montenegro?
Among Census respondents with the surname Montenegro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (7.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Montenegro in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.7% (9,491 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Montenegro appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (87.7%), White (7.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%). 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 Montenegro (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 Montenegro mean?
A toponymic surname referring to someone from Montenegro, a country in Southeastern Europe bordering the Adriatic Sea. 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 Montenegro (3.62 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 have the surname Montenegro?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.