2000
#9,192
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,263
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.21
Rare Last name
Novoa
A habitational surname derived from the Galician word "nova," meaning "new," likely referring to a new settlement or land.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,035 Americans carry the last name Novoa. That puts it at #7,315 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,074 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Novoa 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
5.0K
1 in 68,074
Census rank
#7,315
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,391 bearers of the surname Novoa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7315th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Novoa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (6.6%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Novoa
The surname NOVOA originated in Spain, specifically in the regions of Galicia and Asturias, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "novus," meaning "new," and likely referred to someone who had recently settled in a particular area or was a newcomer.
One of the earliest recorded references to the NOVOA surname can be found in the "Libro de la Nobleza" (Book of Nobility), a 14th-century manuscript that documented the noble families of Galicia. The name appears in this document, suggesting that the NOVOA family had already established themselves as part of the local nobility by that time.
In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Fernán Pérez de Novoa is mentioned in historical records as a knight and vassal of the Count of Lemos, a powerful noble in Galicia. This indicates that the NOVOA family had achieved a certain level of status and recognition during that period.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, several members of the NOVOA family played notable roles in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One such individual was Pedro de Novoa, who served as a conquistador and explorer in Chile and Peru during the early years of Spanish colonization.
Another notable bearer of the NOVOA surname was Juan de Novoa, a 17th-century author and playwright from Galicia. He is best known for his work "Comedia de la Gloria de Niquea," a celebrated drama of the Spanish Golden Age.
In more recent history, José María Novoa Iglesias (1878-1959) was a prominent Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the Spanish Parliament and played a significant role in the political events of his time.
It is worth noting that the NOVOA surname has also been associated with various place names in Spain, such as the town of Novoa in the province of Ourense, Galicia. This suggests that the name may have originated from a specific geographic location in the region.
Overall, the surname NOVOA has a rich history rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the regions of Galicia and Asturias, and has been carried by notable individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Novoa
Among Census respondents with the surname Novoa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (6.6%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Novoa 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 Novoa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.2% · 4,049
- White6.6% · 290
- Black or African American0.5% · 24
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 13
- Two or more races0.3% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Novoa
Novoa 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
#7,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,281
+1,018 bearers (+31.2%)
Per 100,000 1.45
Rank movement Up 1,436 places
2020
#7,315
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,391
+110 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.47
Rank movement Up 441 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,192 | 3,263 | 1.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,756 | 4,281 | 1.45 | +1,018 bearers (+31.2%) | Up 1,436 places |
| 2020 | #7,315 | 4,391 | 1.47 | +110 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 441 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 Novoa 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 | #7,756 | #7,315 | 5.7% |
| Count | 4,281 | 4,391 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.45 | 1.47 | 1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Novoa bearers went from 4,281 to 4,391 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 441 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,756 to #7,315.
FAQ
Novoa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Novoa?
Name Census estimates that about 5,035 living Americans carry the surname Novoa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,074 residents.
How common is Novoa?
Novoa ranks #7,315 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.47 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,391 people with the surname Novoa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,035), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.47 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Novoa.
Has Novoa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Novoa went from 4,281 recorded bearers to 4,391. That is an increase of 110 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,756 to #7,315.
What does the Census say about the background of Novoa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Novoa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (6.6%) and Black (0.5%). 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 Novoa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (4,049 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Novoa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.2%), White (6.6%), Black (0.5%). 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 Novoa (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 Novoa mean?
A habitational surname derived from the Galician word "nova," meaning "new," likely referring to a new settlement or land. 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 Novoa (1.47 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 Novoa?
See how many Americans have the surname Novoa on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.