2000
#8,003
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,827
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.42
Rare Last name
Palafox
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a straw-colored ravine or gorge.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,351 Americans carry the last name Palafox. That puts it at #5,986 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 53,969 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palafox 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
6.4K
1 in 53,969
Census rank
#5,986
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,538 bearers of the surname Palafox in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5986th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palafox, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palafox
The surname Palafox originated in Spain, specifically in the Aragon region, during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Latin words "palus," meaning "swamp" or "marsh," and "foxo," meaning "ditch" or "trench." The name likely referred to a geographical feature or a place where the original bearers of the name resided.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Palafox surname can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various historical documents from the Kingdom of Aragon. In these records, the name was sometimes spelled as "Palafox" or variations like "Palafos" or "Palafog."
The Palafox family gained prominence in the 15th century, with several members holding influential positions in the Spanish nobility. One notable figure was Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (1600-1659), a Spanish scholar, writer, and Roman Catholic bishop. He served as the Bishop of Puebla in New Spain (present-day Mexico) and was known for his efforts in promoting education and defending the rights of indigenous peoples.
Another prominent individual bearing the Palafox surname was José de Palafox y Melzi (1776-1847), a Spanish military officer and nobleman. He played a significant role in the Peninsular War against the French invasion of Spain, serving as the Captain General of Aragon and later as the Viceroy of Navarre.
In the 16th century, the Palafox family established connections with the town of Ariza, located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon. This town was historically known as "Ariza de Palafox," reflecting the family's influence in the area. Some records from this period mention individuals with surnames like "Palafox de Ariza" or "Palafox y Ariza."
Another notable figure was José de Palafox y Rebolledo (1839-1920), a Spanish military officer and politician who served as the Minister of War for Spain in the late 19th century. He played a crucial role in modernizing the Spanish armed forces and implementing reforms in the military.
Over the centuries, the Palafox surname has spread beyond Spain to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries with strong Spanish colonial ties, such as Mexico, Argentina, and Peru. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval Aragon region of Spain, where it emerged as a prominent surname associated with influential families and historical figures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palafox
Among Census respondents with the surname Palafox, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Palafox 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 Palafox surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino89.9% · 4,976
- White4.5% · 248
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.1% · 227
- Two or more races1.0% · 54
- Black or African American0.4% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palafox
Palafox 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
#5,945
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,793
+1,966 bearers (+51.4%)
Per 100,000 1.96
Rank movement Up 2,058 places
2020
#5,986
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,538
-255 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 1.85
Rank movement Down 41 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,003 | 3,827 | 1.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,945 | 5,793 | 1.96 | +1,966 bearers (+51.4%) | Up 2,058 places |
| 2020 | #5,986 | 5,538 | 1.85 | -255 bearers (-4.4%) | Down 41 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 Palafox 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 | #5,945 | #5,986 | -0.7% |
| Count | 5,793 | 5,538 | -4.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.96 | 1.85 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palafox bearers went from 5,793 to 5,538 (-4.4% change). The surname moved down 41 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,945 to #5,986.
FAQ
Palafox surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palafox?
Name Census estimates that about 6,351 living Americans carry the surname Palafox. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 53,969 residents.
How common is Palafox?
Palafox ranks #5,986 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.85 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,538 people with the surname Palafox. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,351), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.85 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Palafox.
Has Palafox become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palafox went from 5,793 recorded bearers to 5,538. That is a decrease of 255 (-4.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,945 to #5,986.
What does the Census say about the background of Palafox?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palafox, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.9%. The next largest groups are White (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%). 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 Palafox in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.9% (4,976 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palafox appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (89.9%), White (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.1%). 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 Palafox (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 Palafox mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a straw-colored ravine or gorge. 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 Palafox (1.85 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 Palafox?
If you just want to know how common the surname Palafox is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.