2000
#14,154
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,948
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.72
Rare Last name
Palencia
A habitational surname referring to someone from the city or province of Palencia in northern Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,501 Americans carry the last name Palencia. That puts it at #8,083 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,151 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palencia 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
4.5K
1 in 76,151
Census rank
#8,083
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,925 bearers of the surname Palencia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8083rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palencia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%) and White (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palencia
The surname Palencia originated in Spain, specifically from the city of Palencia located in the northern region of Castile and León. The name is derived from the Latin word "Pallantia," which was the ancient Roman name for the city.
The earliest known record of the name Palencia dates back to the 12th century, where it appears in various medieval documents and charters from the Kingdom of Castile. These records often referred to individuals who were either born in or resided in the city of Palencia.
One of the earliest prominent figures with the surname Palencia was Pedro de Palencia, a Spanish scholar and humanist who lived from 1437 to 1507. He was a renowned translator and contributed to the spread of classical literature during the Renaissance period.
Another notable person with the Palencia surname was Juan López de Palencia, a 16th-century Spanish clergyman and historian who served as the personal chaplain to King Ferdinand II of Aragon. He is best known for his historical work "Crónica de los Reyes Católicos," which chronicled the reigns of Ferdinand and Isabella.
In the 17th century, Andrés García de Palencia was a Spanish priest and author who wrote a notable work titled "Instrucción náutica para navegar" (Nautical Instruction for Navigation), which was an important contribution to the field of maritime navigation.
The surname Palencia also has a connection to the Spanish conquest of the Americas. One of the early conquistadors who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico was Rodrigo de Palencia, who participated in various battles and expeditions during the 16th century.
Throughout history, the Palencia surname has been associated with various noble families and individuals who held positions of power and influence within the Spanish monarchy and Catholic Church. While the name originated from the city of Palencia, it eventually spread to other regions of Spain and beyond as people migrated and settled in different areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palencia
Among Census respondents with the surname Palencia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%) and White (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Palencia 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 Palencia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino88.7% · 3,481
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.2% · 245
- White3.8% · 149
- Two or more races0.9% · 37
- Black or African American0.3% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palencia
Palencia 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
#9,959
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,241
+1,293 bearers (+66.4%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Up 4,195 places
2020
#8,083
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,925
+684 bearers (+21.1%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Up 1,876 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,154 | 1,948 | 0.72 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,959 | 3,241 | 1.10 | +1,293 bearers (+66.4%) | Up 4,195 places |
| 2020 | #8,083 | 3,925 | 1.31 | +684 bearers (+21.1%) | Up 1,876 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 Palencia 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 | #9,959 | #8,083 | 18.8% |
| Count | 3,241 | 3,925 | 21.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.10 | 1.31 | 19.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palencia bearers went from 3,241 to 3,925 (+21.1% change). The surname moved up 1,876 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,959 to #8,083.
FAQ
Palencia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palencia?
Name Census estimates that about 4,501 living Americans carry the surname Palencia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,151 residents.
How common is Palencia?
Palencia ranks #8,083 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,925 people with the surname Palencia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,501), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Palencia.
Has Palencia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palencia went from 3,241 recorded bearers to 3,925. That is an increase of 684 (+21.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,959 to #8,083.
What does the Census say about the background of Palencia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palencia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%) and White (3.8%). 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 Palencia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (3,481 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palencia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (88.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (6.2%), White (3.8%). 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 Palencia (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 Palencia mean?
A habitational surname referring to someone from the city or province of Palencia in northern 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 Palencia (1.31 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 common is the surname Palencia?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Palencia on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.