2000
#3,694
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,827
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.27
Uncommon Last name
Salvador
A toponymic surname referring to someone from El Salvador or another place named Salvador, meaning "savior" in Spanish.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,311 Americans carry the last name Salvador. That puts it at #2,638 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 22,386 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Salvador 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Salvador with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 22,386
Census rank
#2,638
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,352 bearers of the surname Salvador in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2638th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Salvador, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 57.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (25.1%) and White (12.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Salvador
The surname Salvador originated in Spain and has its roots in the Latin word "salvator," meaning "savior." This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions where the Spanish language and culture had a strong influence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Salvador can be traced back to the 13th century in the Catalan region of Spain. It is believed that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to individuals who played a significant role in protecting or safeguarding others, or to those who demonstrated qualities of a savior.
In the 14th century, records show the presence of the Salvador surname in the city of Valencia, where it was associated with prominent families and individuals who held positions of authority and influence. The name also appeared in various legal documents, contracts, and official records during this period.
During the 15th century, the surname Salvador gained further recognition and spread to other parts of Spain, such as Andalusia and Castile. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this time include Fernando Salvador, a renowned poet and scholar born in Seville in 1467, and Gonzalo Salvador, a military commander who fought in the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the Salvador surname continued to be associated with notable figures, including Juan Salvador Garcés, a Spanish explorer and navigator who led expeditions to the Pacific Ocean in the early 1500s, and Gaspar Salvador, a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Madrid during the latter part of the century.
As the Spanish Empire expanded its influence across the Americas and other regions, the surname Salvador was carried by settlers and explorers to various parts of the world, including Mexico, Argentina, and the Philippines. Some notable individuals with this surname from this period include Miguel Salvador, a Spanish missionary who established several missions in California in the late 18th century, and José Salvador, a Chilean military leader who fought in the Chilean War of Independence in the early 19th century.
Throughout history, the surname Salvador has been closely associated with individuals who have played significant roles in various fields, including literature, art, politics, and religion. It continues to be a prominent surname in many Spanish-speaking countries, as well as in regions with strong historical ties to Spanish culture and influence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Salvador
Among Census respondents with the surname Salvador, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 57.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (25.1%) and White (12.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Salvador 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 Salvador surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino57.6% · 7,693
- Asian and Pacific Islander25.1% · 3,356
- White12.6% · 1,678
- Two or more races2.5% · 334
- Black or African American1.4% · 182
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 109
Timeline
Historical Census data for Salvador
Salvador 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
#2,772
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,021
+4,194 bearers (+47.5%)
Per 100,000 4.41
Rank movement Up 922 places
2020
#2,638
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,352
+331 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 4.47
Rank movement Up 134 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,694 | 8,827 | 3.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,772 | 13,021 | 4.41 | +4,194 bearers (+47.5%) | Up 922 places |
| 2020 | #2,638 | 13,352 | 4.47 | +331 bearers (+2.5%) | Up 134 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 Salvador 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 | #2,772 | #2,638 | 4.8% |
| Count | 13,021 | 13,352 | 2.5% |
| Per 100K | 4.41 | 4.47 | 1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Salvador bearers went from 13,021 to 13,352 (+2.5% change). The surname moved up 134 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,772 to #2,638.
FAQ
Salvador surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Salvador?
Name Census estimates that about 15,311 living Americans carry the surname Salvador. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 22,386 residents.
How common is Salvador?
Salvador ranks #2,638 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.47 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,352 people with the surname Salvador. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,311), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.47 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Salvador.
Has Salvador become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Salvador went from 13,021 recorded bearers to 13,352. That is an increase of 331 (+2.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,772 to #2,638.
What does the Census say about the background of Salvador?
Among Census respondents with the surname Salvador, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 57.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (25.1%) and White (12.6%). 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 Salvador in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.6% (7,693 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Salvador appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (57.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (25.1%), White (12.6%). 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 Salvador (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 Salvador mean?
A toponymic surname referring to someone from El Salvador or another place named Salvador, meaning "savior" in Spanish. 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 Salvador (4.47 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 share the surname Salvador?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.