2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Palarca
Of Filipino origin, alluding to a place name or a descriptive term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Palarca. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palarca 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Palarca in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palarca, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.8%) and White (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palarca
The surname PALARCA is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Calabria. The name's roots can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Italian word "palarca," which means "a kind of ship or vessel." This suggests that the name may have been associated with maritime activities or occupations related to seafaring.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PALARCA can be found in a historical document from the town of Reggio Calabria, dated 1492. This document mentions a certain Giovanni PALARCA, who was a local merchant involved in the trade of goods along the coastal regions of Southern Italy.
During the 16th century, the name PALARCA appeared in several records from the city of Naples, indicating that some members of the family had migrated to this area. One notable figure was Antonio PALARCA, born in 1532, who was a renowned shipbuilder and naval architect. He is credited with designing and constructing several galleys for the Neapolitan fleet.
In the 17th century, a branch of the PALARCA family settled in the island of Sicily, where they established themselves as landowners and farmers. One of the most prominent individuals from this lineage was Vincenzo PALARCA, born in 1671, who owned vast vineyards and olive groves in the region of Trapani.
As the PALARCA name spread throughout Italy, it also found its way into other parts of Europe. In the 18th century, a notable figure was Maria PALARCA, born in 1735 in the city of Barcelona, Spain. She was a celebrated opera singer and performed in various theaters across Europe, earning acclaim for her remarkable soprano voice.
Another significant bearer of the PALARCA surname was Giuseppe PALARCA, born in 1812 in the city of Naples. He was a prominent lawyer and politician who played a crucial role in the unification of Italy during the Risorgimento movement. He served as a member of the Neapolitan parliament and was a strong advocate for democratic reforms.
Over the centuries, the PALARCA name has been associated with various occupations, such as seafaring, shipbuilding, agriculture, and law, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and endeavors of those who carried this surname. While the name may have originated in a specific region of Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carrying with it a rich historical legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palarca
Among Census respondents with the surname Palarca, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.8%) and White (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Palarca 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 Palarca surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander82.1% · 92
- Two or more races9.8% · 11
- White2.7% · 3
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palarca
Palarca 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
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,498 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 2,498 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 Palarca 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 | #150,452 | #147,954 | 1.7% |
| Count | 109 | 112 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palarca bearers went from 109 to 112 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 2,498 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #147,954.
FAQ
Palarca surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palarca?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Palarca. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Palarca?
Palarca ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Palarca. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Palarca.
Has Palarca become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palarca went from 109 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Palarca?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palarca, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.8%) and White (2.7%). 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 Palarca in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.1% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palarca appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (82.1%), Two or More Races (9.8%), White (2.7%). 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 Palarca (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 Palarca mean?
Of Filipino origin, alluding to a place name or a descriptive term. 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 Palarca (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 share the surname Palarca?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.