2000
#5,203
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,170
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.29
Rare Last name
Sarabia
A habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Sarabia in Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,247 Americans carry the last name Sarabia. That puts it at #4,254 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,067 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sarabia 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
9.2K
1 in 37,067
Census rank
#4,254
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,064 bearers of the surname Sarabia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4254th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarabia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sarabia
The surname Sarabia originates from Spain, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "saravia," which refers to an area near the town of Zamora, located in the northwestern region of the country.
Sarabia is considered a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name hailed from or resided in the area of Saravia or a place with a similar name. The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century, appearing in various medieval records and documents.
One notable historical reference to the Sarabia name can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Sarabia who were involved in hunting activities during that time.
In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Juan de Sarabia served as a counselor to King Juan II of Castile. Records indicate that he played a significant role in the royal court and was involved in various diplomatic endeavors.
During the 16th century, the Sarabia family gained prominence in the region of Extremadura, where they held significant landholdings and occupied positions of power. One notable member was Diego de Sarabia (1525-1598), a nobleman and military commander who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands.
In the 17th century, the Sarabia surname spread to the Americas as a result of Spanish colonization. One prominent figure was Pedro de Sarabia (1580-1647), a conquistador who participated in the conquest of present-day Mexico and served as a governor in the region of Yucatán.
Another noteworthy individual was Alonso de Sarabia (1625-1697), a Spanish priest and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of indigenous languages and cultures in colonial Mexico.
Throughout the centuries, the Sarabia surname has been associated with various place names and locations across Spain, reflecting the geographic origins of different branches of the family. Some examples include Sarabia de Aliste, a municipality in the province of Zamora, and Sarabia de Sayago, a village in the province of Zamora, among others.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sarabia
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarabia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sarabia 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 Sarabia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino90.0% · 7,256
- White4.7% · 383
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.9% · 317
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 44
- Two or more races0.4% · 34
- Black or African American0.4% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sarabia
Sarabia 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
#4,082
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,695
+2,525 bearers (+40.9%)
Per 100,000 2.95
Rank movement Up 1,121 places
2020
#4,254
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,064
-631 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 2.70
Rank movement Down 172 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,203 | 6,170 | 2.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,082 | 8,695 | 2.95 | +2,525 bearers (+40.9%) | Up 1,121 places |
| 2020 | #4,254 | 8,064 | 2.70 | -631 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 172 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 Sarabia 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 | #4,082 | #4,254 | -4.2% |
| Count | 8,695 | 8,064 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.95 | 2.70 | -8.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sarabia bearers went from 8,695 to 8,064 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 172 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,082 to #4,254.
FAQ
Sarabia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sarabia?
Name Census estimates that about 9,247 living Americans carry the surname Sarabia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,067 residents.
How common is Sarabia?
Sarabia ranks #4,254 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,064 people with the surname Sarabia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,247), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Sarabia.
Has Sarabia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sarabia went from 8,695 recorded bearers to 8,064. That is a decrease of 631 (-7.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,082 to #4,254.
What does the Census say about the background of Sarabia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarabia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.0%. The next largest groups are White (4.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%). 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 Sarabia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (7,256 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sarabia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (90.0%), White (4.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.9%). 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 Sarabia (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 Sarabia mean?
A habitational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Sarabia in Spain. 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 Sarabia (2.70 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 Sarabia?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Sarabia is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.