2000
#7,660
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,005
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.48
Rare Last name
Peraza
A Spanish surname derived from the place name Peraza, likely referring to someone from that location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,516 Americans carry the last name Peraza. That puts it at #5,157 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 45,603 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Peraza 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
7.5K
1 in 45,603
Census rank
#5,157
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,554 bearers of the surname Peraza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5157th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Peraza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.6%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Peraza
The surname Peraza originated in Spain, specifically in the Basque region. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word "peratza," which means "the place of the pear trees." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or owned land with pear trees.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Peraza dates back to the 13th century in the region of Gipuzkoa, Spain. In the year 1237, a document mentions a person named Lope Perez de Peraza, suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.
During the 14th century, the Peraza family gained prominence in the Canary Islands, where they played a significant role in the conquest and colonization of the archipelago. One notable figure was Hernán Peraza, who served as the first governor of the island of La Palma in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name Peraza appeared in various historical records, including the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. One prominent individual was Pedro de Peraza, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru under Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.
Another notable figure was Juan Peraza, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernando de Soto on his expedition to Florida in the 1540s. Juan Peraza played a crucial role in the exploration of the southeastern United States and is mentioned in numerous accounts of the expedition.
In the 17th century, the Peraza family established itself in Mexico, where they became prominent landowners and ranchers. One influential member was Diego de Peraza, who was born in 1620 and became a wealthy hacendado (landowner) in the region of Jalisco.
Throughout history, the surname Peraza has been associated with various place names, such as Peraza de Ayala and Peraza de Campos, both located in the province of Palencia, Spain. Additionally, variations of the name, such as Peratza and Peraça, have been documented in historical records.
Overall, the surname Peraza has a rich history rooted in the Basque region of Spain, and its bearers have played significant roles in various historical events, including the conquest and exploration of the Americas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Peraza
Among Census respondents with the surname Peraza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.6%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Peraza 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 Peraza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.5% · 6,195
- White4.6% · 299
- Black or African American0.5% · 30
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 15
- Two or more races0.2% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Peraza
Peraza 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
#5,811
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,949
+1,944 bearers (+48.5%)
Per 100,000 2.02
Rank movement Up 1,849 places
2020
#5,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,554
+605 bearers (+10.2%)
Per 100,000 2.19
Rank movement Up 654 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,660 | 4,005 | 1.48 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,811 | 5,949 | 2.02 | +1,944 bearers (+48.5%) | Up 1,849 places |
| 2020 | #5,157 | 6,554 | 2.19 | +605 bearers (+10.2%) | Up 654 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 Peraza 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 | #5,811 | #5,157 | 11.3% |
| Count | 5,949 | 6,554 | 10.2% |
| Per 100K | 2.02 | 2.19 | 8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Peraza bearers went from 5,949 to 6,554 (+10.2% change). The surname moved up 654 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,811 to #5,157.
FAQ
Peraza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Peraza?
Name Census estimates that about 7,516 living Americans carry the surname Peraza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 45,603 residents.
How common is Peraza?
Peraza ranks #5,157 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.19 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,554 people with the surname Peraza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,516), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.19 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Peraza.
Has Peraza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Peraza went from 5,949 recorded bearers to 6,554. That is an increase of 605 (+10.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,811 to #5,157.
What does the Census say about the background of Peraza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Peraza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.6%) and Black (0.5%). 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 Peraza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.5% (6,195 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Peraza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.5%), White (4.6%), Black (0.5%). 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 Peraza (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 Peraza mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the place name Peraza, likely referring to someone from that location. 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 Peraza (2.19 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 Peraza?
Find out how many people are called Peraza on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.