2000
#22,570
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,063
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.39
Rare Last name
Quispe
A Peruvian and Bolivian surname of Quechua origin, likely referring to a title of Inca nobility or a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,357 Americans carry the last name Quispe. That puts it at #14,034 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 145,420 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quispe 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
2.4K
1 in 145,420
Census rank
#14,034
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,055 bearers of the surname Quispe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14034th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quispe, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.2%) and Black (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quispe
The surname "QUISPE" is of Quechua origin and traces its roots back to the Inca civilization in present-day Peru. The name is believed to have originated from the Quechua word "quispi," which means "a plant with red seeds."
During the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, the Quechua people were forced to adopt Spanish surnames. Many of them chose names derived from their native language, including "QUISPE," which became a common surname among the indigenous population.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "QUISPE" can be found in the census records of the Spanish colonial administration in Peru. These records, dating back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries, document the names of indigenous families who were subject to tribute payments.
The surname "QUISPE" has also been linked to various place names in Peru, such as the town of Quispe in the Ayacucho region. This town was likely named after a person or family bearing the surname, reflecting the close connection between the name and the local geography.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname "QUISPE." One of the earliest known figures was Pedro Quispe, an indigenous leader who led a rebellion against the Spanish colonial authorities in the late 16th century. Another prominent figure was Feliciano Quispe, a Peruvian painter and artist who lived in the 19th century and is known for his religious artworks.
In the 20th century, Víctor Quispe (1934-2020) was a celebrated Peruvian poet and writer who played a significant role in promoting indigenous literature and culture. His works often explored themes of identity, social justice, and the struggles of the indigenous communities in Peru.
More recently, Felipe Quispe (born 1942) gained prominence as a Bolivian indigenous leader and political activist. He founded the "Movimiento Indígena Pachakuti" (Pachakuti Indigenous Movement) and advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples in Bolivia.
Lastly, Antauro Quispe (born 1963) is a former Peruvian army officer and political figure who led an unsuccessful uprising against the government in 2005. He has been a controversial figure in Peruvian politics, often championing the rights of indigenous communities and demanding greater autonomy for these groups.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quispe
Among Census respondents with the surname Quispe, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.2%) and Black (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Quispe 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 Quispe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino93.7% · 1,925
- White5.2% · 107
- Black or African American0.6% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
- Two or more races0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quispe
Quispe 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
#15,104
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,953
+890 bearers (+83.7%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 7,466 places
2020
#14,034
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,055
+102 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Up 1,070 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #22,570 | 1,063 | 0.39 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,104 | 1,953 | 0.66 | +890 bearers (+83.7%) | Up 7,466 places |
| 2020 | #14,034 | 2,055 | 0.69 | +102 bearers (+5.2%) | Up 1,070 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 Quispe 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 | #15,104 | #14,034 | 7.1% |
| Count | 1,953 | 2,055 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.69 | 4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quispe bearers went from 1,953 to 2,055 (+5.2% change). The surname moved up 1,070 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,104 to #14,034.
FAQ
Quispe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quispe?
Name Census estimates that about 2,357 living Americans carry the surname Quispe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 145,420 residents.
How common is Quispe?
Quispe ranks #14,034 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,055 people with the surname Quispe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,357), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Quispe.
Has Quispe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quispe went from 1,953 recorded bearers to 2,055. That is an increase of 102 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,104 to #14,034.
What does the Census say about the background of Quispe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quispe, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.2%) and Black (0.6%). 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 Quispe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.7% (1,925 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quispe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (93.7%), White (5.2%), Black (0.6%). 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 Quispe (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 Quispe mean?
A Peruvian and Bolivian surname of Quechua origin, likely referring to a title of Inca nobility or a place name. 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 Quispe (0.69 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 are called Quispe?
Find out how many people have the last name Quispe on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.