2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Murgado
A surname likely of Spanish origin referring to an area covered in brambles or wild roses.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Murgado. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Murgado 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Murgado in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Murgado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Murgado
The surname Murgado originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Galicia, during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Galician word "murga," which refers to a type of shrub or bush. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, possibly referring to someone who lived near or worked with such vegetation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Murgado surname can be found in the "Tumbo Viejo de Lugo," an ancient manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Petrus Murgado" who was a landowner in the area.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the "Foros de Galicia," a collection of legal documents related to land tenure and property rights in the region. Here, a "Juan Murgado" is listed as a tenant farmer.
During the 16th century, the Murgado surname gained prominence through the exploits of the explorer and navigator, Pedro Murgado (c. 1520-1585). He was part of several expeditions to the Americas and is credited with being one of the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Guam.
Another notable figure with this surname was the 17th-century poet and playwright, Diego Murgado (1620-1675). He is best known for his works "La Vida es Sueño" and "El Caballero de Olmedo," which were influential in the development of Spanish Golden Age literature.
In the 18th century, the Murgado family produced a renowned military leader, General Francisco Murgado (1745-1815). He played a crucial role in the Peninsular War against the French, leading several successful campaigns and earning the respect of his contemporaries.
The name Murgado can also be traced to various place names in Galicia, such as the village of Murgados, which likely derived its name from the surname. Other variations of the name include "Murgaz" and "Murgadez," which were common in medieval records.
While the Murgado surname may have originated from a humble descriptive term, it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions to history, particularly in the fields of exploration, literature, and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Murgado
Among Census respondents with the surname Murgado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Murgado 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 Murgado surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino96.3% · 105
- White3.7% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Murgado
Murgado appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-7 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,056 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 7,056 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 Murgado 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 | #143,149 | #150,205 | -4.9% |
| Count | 116 | 109 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Murgado bearers went from 116 to 109 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 7,056 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #150,205.
FAQ
Murgado surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Murgado?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Murgado. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Murgado?
Murgado ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Murgado. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Murgado.
Has Murgado become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Murgado went from 116 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Murgado?
Among Census respondents with the surname Murgado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.3%. The next largest groups are White (3.7%). 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 Murgado in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Murgado appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (96.3%), White (3.7%). 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 Murgado (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 Murgado mean?
A surname likely of Spanish origin referring to an area covered in brambles or wild roses. 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 Murgado (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 Murgado?
See how many people are called Murgado on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.