2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ochoco
An obscure surname possibly of Native American origin with an unknown meaning.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Ochoco. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ochoco 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Ochoco in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ochoco, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ochoco
The surname Ochoco is believed to have originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Aragon, during the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Spanish word "ocho," meaning "eight," and is thought to have been initially used as a nickname or descriptive term.
One of the earliest known references to the name Ochoco can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the village of Ainsa, located in the Aragonese Pyrenees. This document mentions a landowner named Pedro Ochoco, who held substantial property in the area.
By the 15th century, the surname had spread to other parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Catalonia. It was during this period that variations in spelling, such as "Ochocco" and "Ochoquo," began to appear in various records and documents.
In the 16th century, the name Ochoco gained prominence when a notable family from Seville, headed by Alonso Ochoco (1523-1597), became influential in the local government and trade. Alonso's son, Diego Ochoco (1549-1621), was a respected merchant who established trade routes with the Americas.
One of the most famous individuals bearing the surname Ochoco was Juana Ochoco (1675-1742), a renowned poet and playwright from Granada. Her works, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, were celebrated throughout Spain and gained her recognition beyond the literary circles of her time.
Another noteworthy figure was Rodrigo Ochoco (1712-1789), a military officer who played a crucial role in the Spanish conquest of the Philippines. He served as the governor of the Mariana Islands from 1765 to 1771 and was instrumental in strengthening Spain's presence in the Pacific region.
In the 19th century, the surname Ochoco found its way to the Americas, carried by Spanish immigrants seeking new opportunities. One such immigrant was Manuel Ochoco (1822-1892), who settled in Argentina and became a prominent landowner and cattle rancher in the province of Córdoba.
Additionally, the name Ochoco has been associated with several place names in Spain, such as the small village of Ochocos in the province of Zaragoza and the Sierra de Ochocos mountain range in the region of La Rioja.
Throughout its history, the surname Ochoco has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including writers, military leaders, merchants, and landowners. While it may not be among the most common surnames in the Spanish-speaking world, its presence across several centuries and regions reflects its enduring legacy and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ochoco
Among Census respondents with the surname Ochoco, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ochoco 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 Ochoco surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander81.5% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino10.1% · 12
- Two or more races5.0% · 6
- White2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ochoco
Ochoco 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
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+12 bearers (+11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,840 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.2%) | Up 9,840 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 Ochoco 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 | #152,628 | #142,788 | 6.4% |
| Count | 107 | 119 | 11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ochoco bearers went from 107 to 119 (+11.2% change). The surname moved up 9,840 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #142,788.
FAQ
Ochoco surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ochoco?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Ochoco. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Ochoco?
Ochoco ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Ochoco. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Ochoco.
Has Ochoco become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ochoco went from 107 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 12 (+11.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Ochoco?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ochoco, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 81.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Ochoco in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.5% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ochoco appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (81.5%), Hispanic (10.1%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Ochoco (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 Ochoco mean?
An obscure surname possibly of Native American origin with an unknown meaning. 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 Ochoco (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 Ochoco?
Find out how many people have the surname Ochoco on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.