2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Quilala
A Philippine surname potentially derived from a Native American language.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 142 Americans carry the last name Quilala. That puts it at #139,059 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,413,763 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quilala 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
142
1 in 2,413,763
Census rank
#139,059
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
124
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 124 bearers of the surname Quilala in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 139059th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quilala, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.9%) and White (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quilala
The surname Quilala has its origins in the Philippines, dating back to the 16th century during the Spanish colonization of the archipelago. It is believed to have derived from the Visayan word "quilala," which means "to know" or "to be familiar with." This suggests that the name might have been given to someone known for their knowledge or familiarity with a particular craft or skill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quilala can be found in the "Cuentas de Tributos" (Tributes Accounts), a collection of records from the Spanish colonial administration in the Philippines. In these documents, dated around the late 16th century, there are mentions of individuals with the surname Quilala living in various settlements across the Visayan islands.
The name Quilala can also be traced back to the town of Quilala in the province of Bukidnon, Mindanao. This town, established during the Spanish era, may have been named after an early settler or influential figure bearing the same surname. It is possible that the surname Quilala originated from this location or that individuals from this area adopted the name based on their place of origin.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have carried the surname Quilala. One such person was Juan Quilala (1824-1898), a prominent leader in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. He played a crucial role in organizing resistance movements in the Visayas region and fought alongside other revolutionary figures such as Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo.
Another significant figure was Maria Quilala (1878-1956), a renowned poet and writer from Cebu, Philippines. Her works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and Filipino culture, were widely celebrated during her lifetime and have left a lasting impact on Philippine literature.
In the field of education, Pedro Quilala (1902-1980) made significant contributions as a respected educator and administrator. He served as the president of several universities in the Philippines and was instrumental in establishing educational institutions that promoted the preservation of Filipino culture and values.
The Quilala surname has also had a presence in the arts, with notable individuals such as the painter and sculptor Benito Quilala (1914-1992), whose works were heavily influenced by the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines and captured the essence of rural life in the country.
While the surname Quilala may not be as widely known as some other Filipino surnames, its historical significance and contributions to various aspects of Philippine society cannot be overlooked. From revolutionary leaders to artists and educators, individuals bearing this name have left an indelible mark on the cultural and social fabric of the Philippines.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quilala
Among Census respondents with the surname Quilala, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.9%) and White (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Quilala 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 Quilala surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander75.0% · 93
- Two or more races12.9% · 16
- White4.8% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 6
- Black or African American1.6% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quilala
Quilala 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+24 bearers (+23.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,047 places
2020
#139,059
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
-3 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,011 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +24 bearers (+23.3%) | Up 14,047 places |
| 2020 | #139,059 | 124 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.4%) | Down 6,011 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 Quilala 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 | #133,048 | #139,059 | -4.5% |
| Count | 127 | 124 | -2.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quilala bearers went from 127 to 124 (-2.4% change). The surname moved down 6,011 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #139,059.
FAQ
Quilala surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quilala?
Name Census estimates that about 142 living Americans carry the surname Quilala. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,413,763 residents.
How common is Quilala?
Quilala ranks #139,059 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 124 people with the surname Quilala. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (142), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Quilala.
Has Quilala become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quilala went from 127 recorded bearers to 124. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #139,059.
What does the Census say about the background of Quilala?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quilala, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 75.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.9%) and White (4.8%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Quilala in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.0% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quilala appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (75.0%), Two or More Races (12.9%), White (4.8%). 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 Quilala (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 Quilala mean?
A Philippine surname potentially derived from a Native American language. 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 Quilala (0.04 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 Quilala?
You can see how many people have the surname Quilala on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.