2000
#6,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,461
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.65
Rare Last name
Salmeron
A Spanish habitational surname derived from any of the several places named Salmerón, meaning "place of psalms or chants."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,091 Americans carry the last name Salmeron. That puts it at #4,852 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.36 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 42,362 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Salmeron 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
8.1K
1 in 42,362
Census rank
#4,852
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,056 bearers of the surname Salmeron in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.36 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4852nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Salmeron, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Salmeron
The surname Salmeron is of Spanish origin and can be traced back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Murcia, located in southeastern Spain. The name is derived from the Latin word "salina," meaning "salt marsh" or "salt works," suggesting a possible connection to the salt mining industry prevalent in that area.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Salmeron can be found in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where a man named Juan Salmeron was mentioned as a victim of persecution in the year 1524. This historical document sheds light on the presence of the name during that era.
In the late 16th century, a notable figure named Alfonso Salmeron (1515-1585) gained recognition as a Spanish Jesuit priest, theologian, and one of the founders of the Collegium Romanum, a prestigious educational institution in Rome. His contributions to the Catholic Church and academia have left a lasting impact.
Another individual of note was Diego Salmeron Cavallero (1608-1694), a Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in various churches and museums throughout Spain, showcasing the artistic talents associated with this surname.
During the 17th century, the name Salmeron appeared in various historical records in the Murcia region, indicating its continued presence and connection to that area. One such record mentions a landowner named Juan Salmeron, who owned a substantial property in the town of Cartagena in 1675.
In the 18th century, a notable figure was Ignacio Salmeron (1722-1785), a Spanish military officer who played a significant role in the Spanish-American revolutions. He served as a commander in the Spanish forces during the Siege of Pensacola in 1781, contributing to the Spanish victory in that conflict.
As the name spread beyond Spain, it found its way to other parts of the world, including Latin America. One notable bearer of the surname was Miguel Salmeron (1786-1858), a Mexican politician and military leader who served as the interim president of Mexico in 1858 during a turbulent period in the country's history.
While the surname Salmeron may have evolved over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation, its origins can be traced back to the salt marshes and salt works of southeastern Spain, where it likely originated as an occupational surname or a reference to a geographical location.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Salmeron
Among Census respondents with the surname Salmeron, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Salmeron 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 Salmeron surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.4% · 6,732
- White3.4% · 239
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 25
- Black or African American0.3% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 19
- Two or more races0.2% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Salmeron
Salmeron 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
#4,899
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,191
+2,730 bearers (+61.2%)
Per 100,000 2.44
Rank movement Up 2,036 places
2020
#4,852
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,056
-135 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 2.36
Rank movement Up 47 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,935 | 4,461 | 1.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,899 | 7,191 | 2.44 | +2,730 bearers (+61.2%) | Up 2,036 places |
| 2020 | #4,852 | 7,056 | 2.36 | -135 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 47 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 Salmeron 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 | #4,899 | #4,852 | 1.0% |
| Count | 7,191 | 7,056 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.44 | 2.36 | -3.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Salmeron bearers went from 7,191 to 7,056 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 47 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,899 to #4,852.
FAQ
Salmeron surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Salmeron?
Name Census estimates that about 8,091 living Americans carry the surname Salmeron. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 42,362 residents.
How common is Salmeron?
Salmeron ranks #4,852 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.36 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,056 people with the surname Salmeron. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,091), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.36 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.36 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Salmeron.
Has Salmeron become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Salmeron went from 7,191 recorded bearers to 7,056. That is a decrease of 135 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,899 to #4,852.
What does the Census say about the background of Salmeron?
Among Census respondents with the surname Salmeron, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Salmeron in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (6,732 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Salmeron appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.4%), White (3.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Salmeron (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 Salmeron mean?
A Spanish habitational surname derived from any of the several places named Salmerón, meaning "place of psalms or chants." 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 Salmeron (2.36 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 Salmeron?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Salmeron at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.