2000
#5,295
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,054
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.24
Rare Last name
Pelayo
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin name Pelagius, meaning "of the sea" or "from the sea."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,725 Americans carry the last name Pelayo. That puts it at #4,060 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.84 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 35,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pelayo 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
9.7K
1 in 35,245
Census rank
#4,060
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,481 bearers of the surname Pelayo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.84 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4060th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelayo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.3%) and White (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pelayo
The surname Pelayo has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the regions of Spain and Portugal, and dates back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Latin name "Pelagius," which is believed to have been derived from the Greek word "pelagos," meaning "sea."
The earliest recorded use of the name Pelayo can be traced back to the 8th century, during the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. One of the most notable bearers of this name was Pelayo (c. 685-737), a Visigothic nobleman who led the Christian resistance against the Moors in the northern region of Asturias. Pelayo is considered the first monarch of the Kingdom of Asturias, which later became the foundation of the Kingdom of León, and is regarded as a national hero in Spanish history.
The name Pelayo gained prominence during the Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle to regain control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. Several historical figures bore this name, including Pelayo Gaitán (c. 1020-1090), a nobleman and military leader who fought against the Moors in the Kingdom of León.
As the name spread across the Iberian Peninsula, various spellings and variations emerged, such as Pelayo, Pelaio, Pelagio, and Pelaez. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects and linguistic changes over time.
One notable bearer of the name Pelayo was Pelayo de Ribera (c. 1490-1567), a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. Another prominent figure was Pelayo Quintero (1867-1936), a Spanish writer and journalist known for his works on political and social issues.
In Portugal, the name Pelayo also has a presence, with notable figures such as Pelayo Coutinho (c. 1220-1290), a Portuguese nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the conquest of the Algarve region from the Moors.
While the surname Pelayo is not as common as some other Spanish or Portuguese surnames, it has a rich historical significance and has been borne by individuals who have left their mark on the cultural and political landscapes of the Iberian Peninsula.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pelayo
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelayo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.3%) and White (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Pelayo 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 Pelayo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino89.6% · 7,599
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.3% · 451
- White3.9% · 333
- Two or more races0.7% · 56
- Black or African American0.4% · 34
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pelayo
Pelayo 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
#4,218
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,402
+2,348 bearers (+38.8%)
Per 100,000 2.85
Rank movement Up 1,077 places
2020
#4,060
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,481
+79 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 2.84
Rank movement Up 158 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,295 | 6,054 | 2.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,218 | 8,402 | 2.85 | +2,348 bearers (+38.8%) | Up 1,077 places |
| 2020 | #4,060 | 8,481 | 2.84 | +79 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 158 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 Pelayo 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 | #4,218 | #4,060 | 3.7% |
| Count | 8,402 | 8,481 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.85 | 2.84 | -0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pelayo bearers went from 8,402 to 8,481 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 158 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,218 to #4,060.
FAQ
Pelayo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pelayo?
Name Census estimates that about 9,725 living Americans carry the surname Pelayo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 35,245 residents.
How common is Pelayo?
Pelayo ranks #4,060 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.84 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,481 people with the surname Pelayo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,725), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.84 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.84 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Pelayo.
Has Pelayo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pelayo went from 8,402 recorded bearers to 8,481. That is an increase of 79 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,218 to #4,060.
What does the Census say about the background of Pelayo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pelayo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.3%) and White (3.9%). 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 Pelayo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (7,599 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pelayo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (89.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.3%), White (3.9%). 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 Pelayo (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 Pelayo mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin name Pelagius, meaning "of the sea" or "from the sea." 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 Pelayo (2.84 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 Pelayo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.