2000
#5,676
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,607
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.08
Rare Last name
Quevedo
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Quevedo, derived from "quegigo," meaning "oak grove."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,419 Americans carry the last name Quevedo. That puts it at #4,174 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 36,390 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quevedo 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
9.4K
1 in 36,390
Census rank
#4,174
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,214 bearers of the surname Quevedo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4174th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quevedo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quevedo
The surname Quevedo originates from Spain, specifically the Cantabrian region in the northern part of the country. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "queveda," which refers to a deep rocky ravine or gorge. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a person who lived near or came from a place characterized by such a geographical feature.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Quevedo can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable example is found in the "Libro Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla," a medieval manuscript that documented the ownership and taxation of lands in the Kingdom of Castile. This document mentions individuals with the surname Quevedo, indicating their presence in the region during that time period.
One of the most famous individuals to bear the surname Quevedo was Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas (1580-1645), a prominent Spanish poet, satirist, and politician during the Baroque era. He was known for his sharp wit, biting satire, and his contributions to the development of the Spanish language.
Another notable figure was José Heriberto Quevedo (1836-1915), a Mexican military officer who fought in the Mexican-American War and the Mexican Revolution. He played a significant role in the defence of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico in the 1860s.
In the realm of literature, Amalia Quevedo (1914-1987) was a renowned Chilean novelist and short story writer. Her works often explored themes of social injustice and the struggles of marginalized communities.
Alejandro Quevedo (1843-1904) was a Venezuelan politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for several terms in the late 19th century.
Lastly, Miguel Ángel Quevedo (1929-2006) was a prominent Ecuadorian novelist, essayist, and playwright. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Ecuadorian literature and was awarded the prestigious Eugenio Espejo National Prize for his literary contributions.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Quevedo, which has its roots in the rugged landscapes of northern Spain and has since spread to various parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quevedo
Among Census respondents with the surname Quevedo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Quevedo 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 Quevedo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.5% · 7,515
- White4.8% · 391
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 227
- Two or more races0.5% · 39
- Black or African American0.3% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quevedo
Quevedo 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
#4,404
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,064
+2,457 bearers (+43.8%)
Per 100,000 2.73
Rank movement Up 1,272 places
2020
#4,174
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,214
+150 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 2.75
Rank movement Up 230 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,676 | 5,607 | 2.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,404 | 8,064 | 2.73 | +2,457 bearers (+43.8%) | Up 1,272 places |
| 2020 | #4,174 | 8,214 | 2.75 | +150 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 230 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 Quevedo 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 | #4,404 | #4,174 | 5.2% |
| Count | 8,064 | 8,214 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.73 | 2.75 | 0.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quevedo bearers went from 8,064 to 8,214 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 230 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,404 to #4,174.
FAQ
Quevedo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quevedo?
Name Census estimates that about 9,419 living Americans carry the surname Quevedo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 36,390 residents.
How common is Quevedo?
Quevedo ranks #4,174 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.75 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 8,214 people with the surname Quevedo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,419), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.75 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 Quevedo.
Has Quevedo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quevedo went from 8,064 recorded bearers to 8,214. That is an increase of 150 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,404 to #4,174.
What does the Census say about the background of Quevedo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quevedo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). 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 Quevedo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (7,515 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quevedo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.5%), White (4.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%). 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 Quevedo (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 Quevedo mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Quevedo, derived from "quegigo," meaning "oak grove." 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 Quevedo (2.75 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 have the last name Quevedo?
You can see how common the surname Quevedo is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.