2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rombaoa
A surname of uncertain etymology, possibly derived from a place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Rombaoa. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rombaoa 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Rombaoa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rombaoa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rombaoa
The surname ROMBAOA has its origins in the small village of Rombao, located in the northeastern region of Portugal. This village dates back to the 12th century, and the name is believed to be derived from the Old Portuguese word "rombar," which means "to rumble" or "to roar," likely referring to the sound of a nearby river or stream.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname ROMBAOA can be traced back to a land registry document from the year 1287, which mentions a certain João ROMBAOA as a landowner in the village of Rombao. This suggests that the surname had already been established by that time, perhaps originating from a nickname or descriptive term given to someone who lived near the rumbling waters.
In the 15th century, there are records of a prominent family known as the ROMBAOAs residing in the city of Porto. One notable member was Afonso ROMBAOA (1425-1497), a successful merchant who played a role in the city's thriving trade with other European nations.
During the Age of Exploration, some individuals bearing the ROMBAOA surname ventured beyond Portugal's borders. In the early 16th century, a navigator named Pedro ROMBAOA (1490-1552) accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his historic circumnavigation of the globe. Pedro's journal entries provide valuable insights into the voyages and discoveries of that era.
Another significant figure was Mariana ROMBAOA (1627-1703), a renowned poet and playwright from Lisbon. Her works, which often explored themes of love and spirituality, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime and contributed to the development of Portuguese literature.
As the centuries passed, the ROMBAOA surname spread across different regions of Portugal and eventually to other parts of the world through emigration. Notable individuals include José ROMBAOA (1783-1856), a military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars, and Antónia ROMBAOA (1845-1912), a philanthropist known for her efforts in establishing schools and orphanages in her hometown of Braga.
While the surname ROMBAOA may not be among the most common in Portugal today, its rich history and connection to the village of Rombao make it a unique and fascinating part of the country's cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rombaoa
Among Census respondents with the surname Rombaoa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rombaoa 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 Rombaoa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander82.4% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino10.1% · 12
- Two or more races5.9% · 7
- White1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rombaoa
Rombaoa appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,648 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 1,648 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 Rombaoa 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 | #141,140 | #142,788 | -1.2% |
| Count | 118 | 119 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rombaoa bearers went from 118 to 119 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 1,648 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #142,788.
FAQ
Rombaoa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rombaoa?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Rombaoa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Rombaoa?
Rombaoa ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Rombaoa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Rombaoa.
Has Rombaoa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rombaoa went from 118 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Rombaoa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rombaoa, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.1%) and Two or More Races (5.9%). 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 Rombaoa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.4% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rombaoa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (82.4%), Hispanic (10.1%), Two or More Races (5.9%). 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 Rombaoa (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 Rombaoa mean?
A surname of uncertain etymology, possibly derived from a place name or occupation. 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 Rombaoa (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 many people have the last name Rombaoa?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Rombaoa? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.