2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Novilla
A Spanish surname derived from the word "novillo" meaning young bull or steer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Novilla. 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 Novilla 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 Novilla 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 Novilla, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 59.3%. The next largest groups are White (22.9%) and Two or More Races (11.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Novilla
The surname Novilla is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Spain, specifically in the areas around Cantabria, Asturias, and the Basque Country. Its roots can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 9th or 10th century.
One of the earliest known references to the name Novilla can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the region of Asturias, dating back to the 9th century. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Nouilla" and "Nouiella."
The name Novilla is believed to have originated from the Latin word "novellus," meaning "new" or "young." It is likely that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who was young or a newcomer to an area. Over time, the name evolved into its current form, Novilla.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Novilla was Pedro Novilla, who lived in the village of Liébana, in the modern-day province of Cantabria, during the 12th century. Records from that time mention him as a local landowner and influential figure in the community.
Another notable figure was Rodrigo Novilla, a soldier who fought alongside King Alfonso VIII of Castile in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, a significant victory over the Almohad Caliphate. Rodrigo Novilla's bravery and service to the king were recognized, and his family continued to hold a respected position in the region for generations.
In the 15th century, records show a María Novilla, who was a prominent benefactor and patron of the arts in the city of Burgos. She commissioned several works of religious art and supported local artists and craftsmen.
During the 16th century, a man named Juan Novilla was a skilled navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Americas. He is believed to have accompanied Hernán Cortés on one of his voyages to Mexico and is mentioned in some historical accounts from that time.
Another notable individual with the surname Novilla was Alonso Novilla, a renowned architect who lived in the 17th century. He was responsible for the design and construction of several churches and buildings in the Basque Country, including the Church of San Pedro in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Novilla who have left their mark on history. The name has a rich heritage and can be traced back to its origins in the northern regions of Spain, where it has been present for centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Novilla
Among Census respondents with the surname Novilla, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 59.3%. The next largest groups are White (22.9%) and Two or More Races (11.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Novilla 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 Novilla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander59.3% · 70
- White22.9% · 27
- Two or more races11.0% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Novilla
Novilla 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
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+17 bearers (+16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 16,201 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.8%) | Up 16,201 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 Novilla 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 | #159,712 | #143,511 | 10.1% |
| Count | 101 | 118 | 16.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Novilla bearers went from 101 to 118 (+16.8% change). The surname moved up 16,201 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #143,511.
FAQ
Novilla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Novilla?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Novilla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Novilla?
Novilla 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 Novilla. 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 Novilla.
Has Novilla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Novilla went from 101 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 17 (+16.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Novilla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Novilla, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 59.3%. The next largest groups are White (22.9%) and Two or More Races (11.0%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Novilla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.3% (70 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Novilla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (59.3%), White (22.9%), Two or More Races (11.0%). 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 Novilla (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 Novilla mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the word "novillo" meaning young bull or steer. 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 Novilla (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 are called Novilla?
You can see how common the surname Novilla is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.