2000
#4,192
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,840
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.91
Uncommon Last name
Paulino
A patronymic surname derived from the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,984 Americans carry the last name Paulino. That puts it at #2,695 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 22,875 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Paulino 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
15K
1 in 22,875
Census rank
#2,695
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,067 bearers of the surname Paulino in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2695th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Paulino, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Paulino
The surname Paulino originates from Italy, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Latin name "Paulinus," which means "of Paul" or "follower of Paul." The name can be traced back to Saint Paulinus, a Roman poet and bishop who lived in the 4th century AD.
In the Middle Ages, the surname Paulino was commonly found in the regions of Campania and Lazio, particularly in the cities of Naples and Rome. It was often associated with religious figures and scholars, as many individuals with this name were members of the clergy or involved in academic pursuits.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Paulino can be found in a manuscript from the 13th century, which mentions a priest named "Petrus Paulino" from the city of Naples. Another notable mention is in a historical document from 1487, which refers to a scholar named "Giovanni Paulino" from Rome.
The surname Paulino has been carried by several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Paulino of Nola (353-431 AD), a Roman poet and saint who was known for his charitable works and for establishing a monastic community in Nola, near Naples.
Another prominent figure was Antonio Paulino (1542-1612), an Italian composer and music theorist who served as the choirmaster of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. His works, including madrigals and sacred music, were widely celebrated during the Renaissance period.
In the 18th century, Gaetano Paulino (1722-1806) was a renowned Italian architect and engineer. He is best known for his contributions to the reconstruction of the city of Naples after the devastating earthquake of 1783.
The surname Paulino has also been associated with notable figures in the field of literature. One such individual was Raffaele Paulino (1805-1865), an Italian poet and writer from Naples who published several collections of poems and literary works.
Another bearer of this name was Giuseppe Paulino (1876-1945), an Italian playwright and screenwriter who wrote numerous plays and films during the early 20th century.
While the surname Paulino has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Latin American countries such as Brazil, where it is often spelled as "Paulino" or "Paulinho." However, the historical and cultural significance of this surname remains deeply rooted in its Italian origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Paulino
Among Census respondents with the surname Paulino, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Paulino 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 Paulino surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino81.3% · 10,628
- White7.9% · 1,035
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.8% · 1,015
- Black or African American1.6% · 211
- Two or more races1.3% · 169
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Paulino
Paulino 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
#3,142
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,500
+3,660 bearers (+46.7%)
Per 100,000 3.90
Rank movement Up 1,050 places
2020
#2,695
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,067
+1,567 bearers (+13.6%)
Per 100,000 4.37
Rank movement Up 447 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,192 | 7,840 | 2.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,142 | 11,500 | 3.90 | +3,660 bearers (+46.7%) | Up 1,050 places |
| 2020 | #2,695 | 13,067 | 4.37 | +1,567 bearers (+13.6%) | Up 447 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 Paulino 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 | #3,142 | #2,695 | 14.2% |
| Count | 11,500 | 13,067 | 13.6% |
| Per 100K | 3.90 | 4.37 | 12.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Paulino bearers went from 11,500 to 13,067 (+13.6% change). The surname moved up 447 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,142 to #2,695.
FAQ
Paulino surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Paulino?
Name Census estimates that about 14,984 living Americans carry the surname Paulino. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 22,875 residents.
How common is Paulino?
Paulino ranks #2,695 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.37 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,067 people with the surname Paulino. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,984), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.37 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Paulino.
Has Paulino become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Paulino went from 11,500 recorded bearers to 13,067. That is an increase of 1,567 (+13.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,142 to #2,695.
What does the Census say about the background of Paulino?
Among Census respondents with the surname Paulino, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.3%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.8%). 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 Paulino in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.3% (10,628 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Paulino appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (81.3%), White (7.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.8%). 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 Paulino (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 Paulino mean?
A patronymic surname derived from the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble." 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 Paulino (4.37 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 Americans have the surname Paulino?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.