2000
#115,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Palasios
A locational surname originating from a place called Palacios in Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Palasios. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palasios 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Palasios in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palasios, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and White (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palasios
The surname Palasios is of Spanish origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period of the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to be a toponymic name, derived from a place name or location. One plausible theory suggests that the name originated from the Spanish word "palacio," which means "palace" or "mansion," indicating that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near or been associated with a prominent residence or estate.
In the early records of Spain, variations of the spelling, such as "Palacios" and "Palacios de la Vega," can be found. These spellings provide clues to the name's evolution and potential geographic ties. The inclusion of "de la Vega" (meaning "of the meadow" or "of the valley") suggests a connection to a specific region or locale.
One notable early bearer of the Palasios name was Rodrigo de Palacios, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who lived in the 15th century. He served under King Juan II of Castile and played a significant role in the conquest of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain.
Another historical figure with this surname was Diego de Palacios, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in the early 16th century. De Palacios was among the first Europeans to witness the grandeur of the Aztec civilization and participated in the conquest of Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City).
In the realm of literature, Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (1600-1659), a Spanish bishop and writer, stands out as a prominent figure associated with the Palasios surname. He served as the Bishop of Puebla de los Ángeles in New Spain (now Mexico) and produced several influential works, including treatises on religious and moral topics.
Another notable individual was Miguel de Palacio (1502-1581), a Spanish humanist and writer who served as a secretary to Emperor Charles V. His literary works, including translations and commentaries on classical texts, contributed to the Renaissance movement in Spain.
The name Palasios has also been documented in various historical records and manuscripts from Spain, such as church registers, land grants, and legal documents, further attesting to its widespread use and significance throughout the centuries.
While the surname Palasios may have evolved and taken on different spellings over time, its origins can be traced back to the rich cultural and historical tapestry of the Iberian Peninsula, reflecting the diverse influences and narratives that have shaped Spanish society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palasios
Among Census respondents with the surname Palasios, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and White (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Palasios 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 Palasios surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino97.4% · 113
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- White0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palasios
Palasios 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
#101,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 177
+37 bearers (+26.4%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 13,752 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-61 bearers (-34.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 43,291 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #115,489 | 140 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #101,737 | 177 | 0.06 | +37 bearers (+26.4%) | Up 13,752 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -61 bearers (-34.5%) | Down 43,291 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 Palasios 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 | #101,737 | #145,028 | -42.6% |
| Count | 177 | 116 | -34.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.04 | -35.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palasios bearers went from 177 to 116 (-34.5% change). The surname moved down 43,291 positions in the national ranking, going from #101,737 to #145,028.
FAQ
Palasios surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palasios?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Palasios. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Palasios?
Palasios ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Palasios. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Palasios.
Has Palasios become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palasios went from 177 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 61 (-34.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #101,737 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Palasios?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palasios, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and White (0.9%). 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 Palasios in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palasios appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (97.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%), White (0.9%). 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 Palasios (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 Palasios mean?
A locational surname originating from a place called Palacios in Spain. 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 Palasios (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 surname Palasios?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.