2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Necoechea
An Americanized spelling of the Basque surname "Nekoeche", denoting residence near an oak forest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Necoechea. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Necoechea 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Necoechea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Necoechea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.3%. The next largest groups are White (23.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Necoechea
The surname Necoechea originates from the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Basque words "neko" meaning "farm" and "etxea" meaning "house," suggesting it may have initially referred to a farmhouse or an agricultural property.
The earliest known record of the Necoechea name appears in a document from the town of Salinas de Añana, in the Basque province of Álava, Spain, dated around 1250. This document mentions a landholder named Sancho Necoechea, indicating the surname's association with landowners and the agricultural community of the region.
In the 14th century, records from the nearby town of Vitoria-Gasteiz mention a Lope Necoechea, who served as a local magistrate and held significant influence in the area. This suggests that by this time, the Necoechea family had established itself as a prominent lineage within the Basque community.
As the Necoechea name spread throughout the Basque region and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Necochea, Necocheya, and Nekoetxea. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions during the medieval and early modern periods, as well as the influence of local dialects and pronunciations.
One notable figure with the Necoechea surname was Juan Necoechea (1592-1671), a renowned Basque artist and sculptor who specialized in religious art. His works adorned numerous churches and cathedrals throughout northern Spain, showcasing the artistic talent within the Necoechea family.
Another prominent individual was María Necoechea (1680-1738), a Basque noblewoman and landowner who played a pivotal role in the region's agricultural and economic development. Her legacy is remembered through the preservation of several historic farmhouses and vineyards that bear the Necoechea name.
In the 19th century, Ignacio Necoechea (1812-1892) gained recognition as a pioneer in the field of education, establishing several schools and advocating for increased access to education in the Basque region. His efforts contributed to the intellectual and cultural enrichment of the local community.
During the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, Joaquín Necoechea (1901-1979) was a prominent military officer who fought on the Nationalist side. His actions and leadership during the conflict earned him respect and recognition within the armed forces of the time.
Over the centuries, the Necoechea surname has maintained a strong presence in the Basque region, with many individuals bearing this name making significant contributions to various aspects of society, including art, agriculture, education, and military service.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Necoechea
Among Census respondents with the surname Necoechea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.3%. The next largest groups are White (23.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Necoechea 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 Necoechea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino76.3% · 90
- White23.7% · 28
Timeline
Historical Census data for Necoechea
Necoechea 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
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
+29 bearers (+29.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 19,057 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-11 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,132 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | +29 bearers (+29.0%) | Up 19,057 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 12,132 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 Necoechea 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 | #131,379 | #143,511 | -9.2% |
| Count | 129 | 118 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Necoechea bearers went from 129 to 118 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 12,132 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #143,511.
FAQ
Necoechea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Necoechea?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Necoechea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Necoechea?
Necoechea ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Necoechea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Necoechea.
Has Necoechea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Necoechea went from 129 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #131,379 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Necoechea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Necoechea, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 76.3%. The next largest groups are White (23.7%). 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 Necoechea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.3% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Necoechea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (76.3%), White (23.7%). 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 Necoechea (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 Necoechea mean?
An Americanized spelling of the Basque surname "Nekoeche", denoting residence near an oak forest. 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 Necoechea (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 many people have the last name Necoechea?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Necoechea at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.