2000
#64,934
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 286
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.11
Rare Last name
Norales
A Spanish surname derived from the Spanish word "norte" meaning "north".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,183 Americans carry the last name Norales. That puts it at #25,153 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 289,733 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Norales 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
1.2K
1 in 289,733
Census rank
#25,153
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,032 bearers of the surname Norales in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25153rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Norales, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (8.8%) and White (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Norales
The surname Norales originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "Noral," which refers to a place where walnut trees grow abundantly. The name likely originated in regions where walnut cultivation was prevalent, such as Andalusia or Castile.
The earliest known record of the surname Norales dates back to the 13th century, appearing in a medieval Spanish document from the city of Seville. This document mentions a landowner named Rodrigo Norales, who owned a sizable walnut orchard.
During the 15th century, the Norales family gained prominence in the region of Extremadura. Historical records from this period mention a nobleman named Juan Norales, who served as a trusted advisor to the King of Castile and León, Juan II.
In the 16th century, the surname Norales spread across the Spanish Empire as conquistadors and settlers ventured to the New World. One notable figure was Hernán Norales, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to conquer Mexico in 1519.
Another prominent individual bearing the Norales surname was María Norales, a renowned poet and playwright who lived in Seville during the 17th century. Her works, which explored themes of love and societal critique, were highly acclaimed during her lifetime.
As the centuries passed, the Norales surname continued to appear in various parts of Spain and its former colonies. In the 18th century, a wealthy landowner named Diego Norales established a thriving agricultural empire in the region of Andalusia, known for its vast olive groves and vineyards.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Emilio Norales emerged as a prominent politician and activist in Spain. He played a crucial role in the liberal movements of the time and fought for social reforms and greater representation for the working class.
Throughout history, the Norales surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, from agriculture and exploration to literature and politics. While the name originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by descendants of Spanish emigrants and settlers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Norales
Among Census respondents with the surname Norales, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (8.8%) and White (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Norales 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 Norales surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino86.4% · 892
- Black or African American8.8% · 91
- White3.4% · 35
- Two or more races0.7% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Norales
Norales 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
#51,512
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 404
+118 bearers (+41.3%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Up 13,422 places
2020
#25,153
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,032
+628 bearers (+155.4%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Up 26,359 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #64,934 | 286 | 0.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #51,512 | 404 | 0.14 | +118 bearers (+41.3%) | Up 13,422 places |
| 2020 | #25,153 | 1,032 | 0.35 | +628 bearers (+155.4%) | Up 26,359 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 Norales 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 | #51,512 | #25,153 | 51.2% |
| Count | 404 | 1,032 | 155.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.35 | 146.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Norales bearers went from 404 to 1,032 (+155.4% change). The surname moved up 26,359 positions in the national ranking, going from #51,512 to #25,153.
FAQ
Norales surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Norales?
Name Census estimates that about 1,183 living Americans carry the surname Norales. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 289,733 residents.
How common is Norales?
Norales ranks #25,153 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.35 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 1,032 people with the surname Norales. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,183), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.35 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 Norales.
Has Norales become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Norales went from 404 recorded bearers to 1,032. That is an increase of 628 (+155.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #51,512 to #25,153.
What does the Census say about the background of Norales?
Among Census respondents with the surname Norales, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Black (8.8%) and White (3.4%). 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 Norales in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (892 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Norales appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (86.4%), Black (8.8%), White (3.4%). 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 Norales (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 Norales mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Spanish word "norte" meaning "north". 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 Norales (0.35 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 share the surname Norales?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.