2000
#1,873
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,586
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.52
Uncommon Last name
Prado
A Spanish topographic surname referring to a meadow, pasture, or grassy field.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 26,830 Americans carry the last name Prado. That puts it at #1,489 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.83 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 12,775 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Prado 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Prado with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
27K
1 in 12,775
Census rank
#1,489
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
23K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 23,397 bearers of the surname Prado in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.83 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1489th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Prado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.4%. The next largest groups are White (8.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Prado
The surname Prado has its origins in Spain and Portugal, deriving from the Spanish and Portuguese word "prado," meaning meadow or field. It is believed to have emerged as a surname during the Middle Ages, when many people began adopting hereditary surnames based on their occupation, location, or other distinguishing characteristics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Prado surname can be found in a document from the 12th century, where it appears as "Prat" or "Prato." This variation likely stemmed from the local dialect or regional pronunciation of the word "prado" at the time. The surname's evolution to its modern spelling occurred gradually over the following centuries.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the Prado surname was Juan del Prado, a Spanish nobleman and landowner from the region of Castile. Records indicate that he was granted significant tracts of land by the Crown, which may have contributed to the association of the surname with rural or agricultural settings.
During the 15th century, the Prado surname gained further prominence with the birth of Pedro del Prado (1435-1498), a renowned Spanish scholar and theologian. He played a pivotal role in the intellectual and religious debates of his time, authoring several influential texts and serving as a advisor to the Spanish monarchs.
In the 16th century, the explorer and navigator Juan Prado (1510-1589) made significant contributions to the Age of Exploration. He accompanied several expeditions to the Americas and is credited with mapping and charting previously unknown territories, particularly in present-day Brazil and the Caribbean region.
Another notable figure was María del Prado (1570-1648), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Agreda, Spain. Her writings on spiritual matters and her alleged bilocation experiences garnered her considerable fame and recognition during her lifetime.
Moving into the 17th century, the Prado surname was also associated with the arts, as exemplified by the painter Juan Bautista del Prado (1612-1689). He was a prominent figure in the Spanish Golden Age of painting and is known for his religious works and portraits commissioned by various noble patrons.
Throughout its history, the Prado surname has been closely linked to places and regions with agricultural or rural associations, reflecting its etymological roots. While its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, the name has spread globally due to migration and exploration, and individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions across various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Prado
Among Census respondents with the surname Prado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.4%. The next largest groups are White (8.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Prado 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 Prado surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino87.4% · 20,451
- White8.1% · 1,897
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 787
- Black or African American0.5% · 119
- Two or more races0.4% · 103
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 40
Timeline
Historical Census data for Prado
Prado 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
#1,533
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,436
+5,850 bearers (+33.3%)
Per 100,000 7.94
Rank movement Up 340 places
2020
#1,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,397
-39 bearers (-0.2%)
Per 100,000 7.83
Rank movement Up 44 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,873 | 17,586 | 6.52 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,533 | 23,436 | 7.94 | +5,850 bearers (+33.3%) | Up 340 places |
| 2020 | #1,489 | 23,397 | 7.83 | -39 bearers (-0.2%) | Up 44 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 Prado 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 | #1,533 | #1,489 | 2.9% |
| Count | 23,436 | 23,397 | -0.2% |
| Per 100K | 7.94 | 7.83 | -1.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Prado bearers went from 23,436 to 23,397 (-0.2% change). The surname moved up 44 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,533 to #1,489.
FAQ
Prado surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Prado?
Name Census estimates that about 26,830 living Americans carry the surname Prado. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 12,775 residents.
How common is Prado?
Prado ranks #1,489 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 7.83 per 100,000 residents, which is about 8 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 23,397 people with the surname Prado. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (26,830), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 7.83 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 7.83 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 8 of them to have the surname Prado.
Has Prado become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Prado went from 23,436 recorded bearers to 23,397. That is a decrease of 39 (-0.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,533 to #1,489.
What does the Census say about the background of Prado?
Among Census respondents with the surname Prado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.4%. The next largest groups are White (8.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%). 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 Prado in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.4% (20,451 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Prado appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (87.4%), White (8.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%). 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 Prado (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 Prado mean?
A Spanish topographic surname referring to a meadow, pasture, or grassy field. 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 Prado (7.83 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 share the surname Prado?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.