2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nela
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a Spanish place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Nela. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nela 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Nela in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nela, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.0%) and Black (9.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nela
The surname NELA has its origins in Spain, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated as a variant of the Spanish name Nelida, which is derived from the Latin word "nilus," meaning "dark" or "black." The name may have been given to someone with dark features or complexion.
In the early 16th century, the name NELA appeared in various historical records and documents in the regions of Andalusia and Catalonia. One of the earliest recorded instances was in a census record from the town of Seville, where a family bearing the surname NELA was listed as landowners.
The name NELA can also be found in the archives of the Spanish Inquisition, where several individuals with this surname were mentioned in connection with religious trials and proceedings. However, the details of these cases are scarce and not well-documented.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname NELA was Juan NELA, born in 1547 in Granada. He was a renowned architect and worked on several important buildings in the city, including the Alhambra Palace.
In the 17th century, the name NELA appeared in various church records and parish registers in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia. One notable figure from this period was Maria NELA, born in 1623 in Barcelona. She was a prominent figure in the local community and was known for her charitable works and support for the poor.
During the 18th century, the surname NELA gained prominence in the city of Madrid, where several members of the family held important positions in the royal court. One of the most notable figures was Antonio NELA, born in 1712. He served as a diplomat and advisor to King Charles III of Spain.
In the 19th century, the name NELA spread to other parts of Spain, as well as to Spanish colonies in the Americas. One prominent individual was José NELA, born in 1841 in Cuba. He was a renowned poet and writer, known for his works celebrating the beauty of the Caribbean islands.
Another notable figure was Margarita NELA, born in 1879 in Seville. She was a pioneering educator and established several schools for girls in her hometown, promoting education and empowerment for women.
Throughout its history, the surname NELA has been associated with various professions and fields, including architecture, literature, education, and diplomacy. While not widely known outside of Spain and its former colonies, the name holds a rich cultural heritage and has played a role in shaping the history and traditions of the Spanish-speaking world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nela
Among Census respondents with the surname Nela, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.0%) and Black (9.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Nela 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 Nela surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.8% · 85
- Asian and Pacific Islander10.0% · 12
- Black or African American9.2% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 10
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nela
Nela 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,695 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+11 bearers (+10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,403 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,695 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.1%) | Up 8,403 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 Nela 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 | #150,452 | #142,049 | 5.6% |
| Count | 109 | 120 | 10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nela bearers went from 109 to 120 (+10.1% change). The surname moved up 8,403 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #142,049.
FAQ
Nela surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nela?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Nela. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Nela?
Nela ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Nela. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Nela.
Has Nela become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nela went from 109 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 11 (+10.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Nela?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nela, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (10.0%) and Black (9.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nela in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.8% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nela appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (10.0%), Black (9.2%). 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 Nela (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 Nela mean?
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a Spanish place name. 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 Nela (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 surname Nela?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.