2000
#16,761
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,569
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.58
Rare Last name
Montilla
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Montilla, meaning "little mountain."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,662 Americans carry the last name Montilla. That puts it at #12,700 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Montilla 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
2.7K
1 in 128,758
Census rank
#12,700
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,321 bearers of the surname Montilla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12700th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Montilla, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.3%) and White (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Montilla
The surname Montilla originated in Spain, specifically in the southern region of Andalusia. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish town of the same name, Montilla, located in the province of Córdoba. The town's name itself comes from the Latin word "mons," meaning "hill" or "mountain," suggesting that the area was likely known for its hilly terrain.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Montilla can be traced back to the 13th century, around the time of the Reconquista, when Christian kingdoms were reclaiming territories from the Moors. During this period, many individuals adopted surnames based on their place of origin or residence, which could explain the emergence of Montilla as a surname for those hailing from the town.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Montilla surname was Diego de Montilla, a Spanish nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was mentioned in several historical documents as a prominent figure in the court of King Pedro I of Castile, also known as Pedro the Cruel.
Another notable individual with the Montilla surname was Juan de Montilla, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to conquer Mexico in the early 16th century. Juan de Montilla played a significant role in the conquest and was recognized for his bravery and military prowess.
In the realm of arts and literature, Francisco de Montilla was a renowned Spanish playwright and poet from the 16th century. He is best known for his plays, which were popular during the Golden Age of Spanish theater and often featured themes of love, honor, and social commentary.
Moving forward to the 17th century, Pedro Montilla y Guzmán was a Spanish military officer who served as the governor of several Spanish colonies in the Americas, including Panama and Chile. His leadership and strategic skills were highly regarded during his time as a colonial administrator.
Lastly, in the 19th century, Ramón Montilla was a celebrated Spanish painter known for his landscapes and portraits. His works were exhibited in various galleries across Spain and Europe, earning him recognition as one of the most talented artists of his era.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Montilla surname throughout history, highlighting its Spanish origins and the diverse accomplishments of those who bore this name across different fields and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Montilla
Among Census respondents with the surname Montilla, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.3%) and White (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Montilla 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 Montilla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino83.4% · 1,935
- Asian and Pacific Islander10.3% · 239
- White4.2% · 98
- Black or African American1.2% · 29
- Two or more races0.7% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Montilla
Montilla 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
#13,752
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,200
+631 bearers (+40.2%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Up 3,009 places
2020
#12,700
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,321
+121 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Up 1,052 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,761 | 1,569 | 0.58 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,752 | 2,200 | 0.75 | +631 bearers (+40.2%) | Up 3,009 places |
| 2020 | #12,700 | 2,321 | 0.78 | +121 bearers (+5.5%) | Up 1,052 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 Montilla 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 | #13,752 | #12,700 | 7.6% |
| Count | 2,200 | 2,321 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.75 | 0.78 | 3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Montilla bearers went from 2,200 to 2,321 (+5.5% change). The surname moved up 1,052 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,752 to #12,700.
FAQ
Montilla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Montilla?
Name Census estimates that about 2,662 living Americans carry the surname Montilla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,758 residents.
How common is Montilla?
Montilla ranks #12,700 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 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 2,321 people with the surname Montilla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,662), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 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 Montilla.
Has Montilla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Montilla went from 2,200 recorded bearers to 2,321. That is an increase of 121 (+5.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,752 to #12,700.
What does the Census say about the background of Montilla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Montilla, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.3%) and White (4.2%). 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 Montilla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.4% (1,935 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Montilla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (83.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (10.3%), White (4.2%). 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 Montilla (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 Montilla mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Montilla, meaning "little mountain." 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 Montilla (0.78 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 Montilla?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.