2000
#9,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,186
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.18
Rare Last name
Raygoza
A Spanish habitational surname indicating the individual originated from Ragoza or Zaragoza, a city in northeastern Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,993 Americans carry the last name Raygoza. That puts it at #7,382 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,647 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Raygoza 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
5.0K
1 in 68,647
Census rank
#7,382
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,354 bearers of the surname Raygoza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7382nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Raygoza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Raygoza
The surname Raygoza is of Spanish and Mexican origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century during the Spanish colonization of Mexico. The name is believed to have originated from a combination of the Spanish words "rayo," meaning thunder or lightning, and "goza," meaning to enjoy or delight.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Raygoza can be found in the baptismal records of the Church of Santa Prisca in Taxco, Mexico, dating back to 1587. This suggests that the name was already in use among Spanish settlers and their descendants in the region during that time.
In the late 17th century, a notable figure named Alonso Raygoza y Mendoza was a prominent landowner and rancher in the region of Aguascalientes, Mexico. His descendants played a significant role in the local community and helped establish the Raygoza name in the area.
During the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821), a soldier named Juan Raygoza fought alongside the revolutionary forces led by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Raygoza's bravery and dedication to the cause were recognized, and his name was inscribed in the annals of Mexican history.
In the late 19th century, a renowned architect named Manuel Raygoza Flores left his mark on the city of Guadalajara, Mexico, with his impressive designs and contributions to the city's architectural landscape. His most notable works include the Teatro Degollado and the Hospicio Cabañas.
Another prominent figure bearing the surname Raygoza was Ignacio Raygoza Gálvez, a Mexican diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Mexico in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in shaping Mexico's foreign policy during the post-revolutionary period.
Throughout history, the Raygoza name has been associated with various professions, from landowners and soldiers to architects and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carried this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Raygoza
Among Census respondents with the surname Raygoza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Raygoza 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 Raygoza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.7% · 4,166
- White3.2% · 140
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 18
- Two or more races0.3% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 11
- Black or African American0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Raygoza
Raygoza 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
#7,431
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,482
+1,296 bearers (+40.7%)
Per 100,000 1.52
Rank movement Up 1,948 places
2020
#7,382
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,354
-128 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Up 49 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,379 | 3,186 | 1.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,431 | 4,482 | 1.52 | +1,296 bearers (+40.7%) | Up 1,948 places |
| 2020 | #7,382 | 4,354 | 1.46 | -128 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 49 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 Raygoza 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 | #7,431 | #7,382 | 0.7% |
| Count | 4,482 | 4,354 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.52 | 1.46 | -4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Raygoza bearers went from 4,482 to 4,354 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 49 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,431 to #7,382.
FAQ
Raygoza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Raygoza?
Name Census estimates that about 4,993 living Americans carry the surname Raygoza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,647 residents.
How common is Raygoza?
Raygoza ranks #7,382 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.46 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 4,354 people with the surname Raygoza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,993), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.46 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.46 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 Raygoza.
Has Raygoza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Raygoza went from 4,482 recorded bearers to 4,354. That is a decrease of 128 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,431 to #7,382.
What does the Census say about the background of Raygoza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Raygoza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.4%). 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 Raygoza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (4,166 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Raygoza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.7%), White (3.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.4%). 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 Raygoza (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 Raygoza mean?
A Spanish habitational surname indicating the individual originated from Ragoza or Zaragoza, a city in northeastern Spain. 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 Raygoza (1.46 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 Raygoza?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Raygoza, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.