2000
#12,858
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,194
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.81
Rare Last name
Samayoa
Derived from a Nahuatl word meaning "place of prisoners," likely referring to the bearer's residence or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,254 Americans carry the last name Samayoa. That puts it at #8,520 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 80,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Samayoa 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
4.3K
1 in 80,572
Census rank
#8,520
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,710 bearers of the surname Samayoa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8520th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Samayoa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.4%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Samayoa
The surname SAMAYOA has its origins in Guatemala, tracing back to the late 15th century. It is derived from the Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztecs and other indigenous groups in Central America. The name is believed to be a combination of the words "samahia" meaning "to rest" and "yoa" meaning "place," suggesting it may have referred to a resting place or settlement.
The earliest known record of the SAMAYOA name appears in a document from the Spanish colonial period in Guatemala, dated around 1520. This document mentions a village or community called "Samayoa," likely named after an indigenous leader or influential figure at the time.
In the 17th century, there are records of a SAMAYOA family residing in the town of Antigua Guatemala, one of the earliest Spanish colonial capitals in Central America. This family was involved in various trades and professions, including agriculture and artisanry.
One notable individual with the SAMAYOA surname was Juan Antonio Samayoa, born in 1775 in Guatemala City. He was a prominent lawyer and politician who played a role in the independence movement of Central America from Spanish rule in the early 19th century.
Another significant figure was María Samayoa, born in 1810 in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. She was a renowned poet and writer, contributing to the literary scene of her time and advocating for women's education and rights.
In the late 19th century, a SAMAYOA family from Guatemala settled in the United States, specifically in the state of California. One of their descendants, Miguel Samayoa, born in 1892, became a respected educator and advocate for the rights of Mexican-American and indigenous communities.
The SAMAYOA surname also has a presence in other Central American countries, such as El Salvador and Honduras, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries. In the 20th century, notable individuals with the name include Carlos Samayoa, a Guatemalan politician and diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries.
Throughout its history, the SAMAYOA name has maintained its ties to its indigenous roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Guatemala and Central America. While its origins can be traced back to the pre-colonial era, the name has endured and spread across generations and borders, carrying with it the stories and experiences of those who have borne it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Samayoa
Among Census respondents with the surname Samayoa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.4%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Samayoa 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 Samayoa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.4% · 3,501
- White4.7% · 174
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 15
- Black or African American0.2% · 9
- Two or more races0.2% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Samayoa
Samayoa 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
#9,403
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,458
+1,264 bearers (+57.6%)
Per 100,000 1.17
Rank movement Up 3,455 places
2020
#8,520
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,710
+252 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 1.24
Rank movement Up 883 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,858 | 2,194 | 0.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,403 | 3,458 | 1.17 | +1,264 bearers (+57.6%) | Up 3,455 places |
| 2020 | #8,520 | 3,710 | 1.24 | +252 bearers (+7.3%) | Up 883 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 Samayoa 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 | #9,403 | #8,520 | 9.4% |
| Count | 3,458 | 3,710 | 7.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.17 | 1.24 | 6.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Samayoa bearers went from 3,458 to 3,710 (+7.3% change). The surname moved up 883 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,403 to #8,520.
FAQ
Samayoa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Samayoa?
Name Census estimates that about 4,254 living Americans carry the surname Samayoa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 80,572 residents.
How common is Samayoa?
Samayoa ranks #8,520 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.24 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 3,710 people with the surname Samayoa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,254), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.24 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 Samayoa.
Has Samayoa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Samayoa went from 3,458 recorded bearers to 3,710. That is an increase of 252 (+7.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,403 to #8,520.
What does the Census say about the background of Samayoa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Samayoa, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.4%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) 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 Samayoa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (3,501 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Samayoa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.4%), White (4.7%), 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 Samayoa (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 Samayoa mean?
Derived from a Nahuatl word meaning "place of prisoners," likely referring to the bearer's residence 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 Samayoa (1.24 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 Samayoa?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Samayoa is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.