2000
#2,110
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,780
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.85
Uncommon Last name
Ojeda
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Ojeda, meaning "ox-eye daisy."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 24,589 Americans carry the last name Ojeda. That puts it at #1,625 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 13,939 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ojeda 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
25K
1 in 13,939
Census rank
#1,625
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
21K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 21,443 bearers of the surname Ojeda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1625th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ojeda, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.4%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ojeda
The surname Ojeda has its origins in Spain, more specifically in the northern region of Cantabria. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Spanish word "ojeda," which means "small valley" or "small ravine." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived in or near a small valley or ravine.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ojeda can be found in the 13th century document "Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla," which documented landholdings and properties in the region of Castile. The name is also present in the 15th century census records of the Kingdom of Castile, indicating its widespread use during that time.
In terms of historical figures, one of the most notable individuals with the surname Ojeda is Alonso de Ojeda, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who lived from around 1468 to 1515. He was a contemporary of Christopher Columbus and played a significant role in the exploration and colonization of the Caribbean and South America. Ojeda led several expeditions to the northern coast of present-day Colombia and Venezuela, establishing settlements and engaging in conflicts with indigenous populations.
Another notable figure is Diego de Ojeda, a Spanish painter and architect who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his work on the Alcázar of Seville, a royal palace known for its intricate architectural designs and ornate decorations.
In the literary realm, Juan de Ojeda y Lafrente (1711-1789) was a Spanish playwright and poet who gained recognition for his comedic works and contributions to the Spanish theater during the Enlightenment period.
Moving forward in time, José Joaquín de Ojeda (1833-1862) was a Spanish military officer and politician who fought in the Spanish-Moroccan War and later served as a senator in the Spanish parliament.
Lastly, Jesús Ojeda (1898-1973) was a Mexican composer and musician known for his contributions to the development of Mexican folk music and traditional mariachi genres.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Ojeda throughout history, highlighting its Spanish roots and presence across various fields, from exploration and conquest to art, literature, and music.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ojeda
Among Census respondents with the surname Ojeda, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.4%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ojeda 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 Ojeda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.4% · 19,810
- White5.5% · 1,169
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 234
- Black or African American0.6% · 118
- Two or more races0.3% · 66
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 46
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ojeda
Ojeda 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
#1,633
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 22,045
+6,265 bearers (+39.7%)
Per 100,000 7.47
Rank movement Up 477 places
2020
#1,625
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 21,443
-602 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 7.17
Rank movement Up 8 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,110 | 15,780 | 5.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,633 | 22,045 | 7.47 | +6,265 bearers (+39.7%) | Up 477 places |
| 2020 | #1,625 | 21,443 | 7.17 | -602 bearers (-2.7%) | Up 8 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 Ojeda 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 | #1,633 | #1,625 | 0.5% |
| Count | 22,045 | 21,443 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 7.47 | 7.17 | -4.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ojeda bearers went from 22,045 to 21,443 (-2.7% change). The surname moved up 8 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,633 to #1,625.
FAQ
Ojeda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ojeda?
Name Census estimates that about 24,589 living Americans carry the surname Ojeda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 13,939 residents.
How common is Ojeda?
Ojeda ranks #1,625 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 7.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 7 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 21,443 people with the surname Ojeda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (24,589), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 7.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 7.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 7 of them to have the surname Ojeda.
Has Ojeda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ojeda went from 22,045 recorded bearers to 21,443. That is a decrease of 602 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,633 to #1,625.
What does the Census say about the background of Ojeda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ojeda, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.4%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Ojeda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (19,810 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ojeda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.4%), White (5.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Ojeda (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 Ojeda mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Ojeda, meaning "ox-eye daisy." 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 Ojeda (7.17 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 Ojeda?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Ojeda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.