2000
#10,473
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,812
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.04
Rare Last name
Sanjuan
A toponymic surname of Spanish origin referring to someone from any of the places called San Juan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,981 Americans carry the last name Sanjuan. That puts it at #7,400 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.45 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,812 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sanjuan 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 68,812
Census rank
#7,400
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,344 bearers of the surname Sanjuan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.45 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7400th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sanjuan, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 63.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.2%) and White (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sanjuan
The surname Sanjuan has its origins in Spain, derived from the Spanish phrase "San Juan," which translates to "Saint John" in English. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, when it was common for individuals to adopt surnames based on their place of origin, occupation, or a distinguishing characteristic.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sanjuan surname can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a census-like document from the 14th century that recorded the names of landowners and their properties in the Kingdom of Castile. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Sanjuan, suggesting that the name was already established by that time.
The Sanjuan surname is often associated with the town of San Juan, located in the Spanish province of Alicante. It is possible that the name originated from this particular location, as it was a common practice for people to adopt surnames based on their place of birth or residence.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Sanjuan surname. One of the earliest examples is Juan Sanjuan, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. He played a crucial role in the exploration and settlement of the Caribbean islands.
Another prominent figure was Fray Bartolomé Sanjuan, a Spanish friar and missionary who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his efforts in evangelizing and protecting the indigenous populations of Mexico during the early years of Spanish colonization.
In the realm of literature, José Sanjuan y Fernández (1842-1912) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and journalist who made significant contributions to the Romantic and Realist movements in Spanish literature.
The world of art also saw the talents of Joaquín Sanjuan y Nolasco (1856-1933), a Spanish painter and illustrator known for his depictions of historical and religious scenes, as well as his portraits and landscapes.
Lastly, María Sanjuan (1889-1936) was a Spanish political activist and feminist who fought for women's rights and played a crucial role in the Spanish Civil War. She was executed by Nationalist forces during the conflict, becoming a martyr for the Republican cause.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the Sanjuan surname, a name that has endured for centuries and continues to hold significance in its Spanish heritage and associations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sanjuan
Among Census respondents with the surname Sanjuan, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 63.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.2%) and White (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sanjuan 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 Sanjuan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino63.8% · 2,770
- Asian and Pacific Islander28.2% · 1,226
- White4.9% · 214
- Two or more races2.6% · 112
- Black or African American0.3% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sanjuan
Sanjuan 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
#7,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,232
+1,420 bearers (+50.5%)
Per 100,000 1.43
Rank movement Up 2,648 places
2020
#7,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,344
+112 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.45
Rank movement Up 425 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,473 | 2,812 | 1.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,825 | 4,232 | 1.43 | +1,420 bearers (+50.5%) | Up 2,648 places |
| 2020 | #7,400 | 4,344 | 1.45 | +112 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 425 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 Sanjuan 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 | #7,825 | #7,400 | 5.4% |
| Count | 4,232 | 4,344 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.43 | 1.45 | 1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sanjuan bearers went from 4,232 to 4,344 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 425 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,825 to #7,400.
FAQ
Sanjuan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sanjuan?
Name Census estimates that about 4,981 living Americans carry the surname Sanjuan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,812 residents.
How common is Sanjuan?
Sanjuan ranks #7,400 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.45 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 4,344 people with the surname Sanjuan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,981), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.45 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.45 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 Sanjuan.
Has Sanjuan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sanjuan went from 4,232 recorded bearers to 4,344. That is an increase of 112 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,825 to #7,400.
What does the Census say about the background of Sanjuan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sanjuan, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 63.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (28.2%) and White (4.9%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sanjuan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.8% (2,770 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sanjuan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (63.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (28.2%), White (4.9%). 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 Sanjuan (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 Sanjuan mean?
A toponymic surname of Spanish origin referring to someone from any of the places called San Juan. 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 Sanjuan (1.45 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 Sanjuan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.