2000
#3,498
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,346
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.46
Uncommon Last name
Segovia
A habitational surname referring to someone from the city or province of Segovia in central Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,007 Americans carry the last name Segovia. That puts it at #2,687 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 22,840 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Segovia 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
15K
1 in 22,840
Census rank
#2,687
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,087 bearers of the surname Segovia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2687th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Segovia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Segovia
The surname Segovia originated from Spain, specifically from the city of Segovia located in the Castile and León region. The name can be traced back to the 11th century, and it is derived from the Latin word "Securivia," which means "secure path" or "safe road."
The city of Segovia has a rich history dating back to the Roman times, and it was an important settlement along the historic routes between Madrid and the northern regions of Spain. The name Segovia is believed to have originated as a reference to the secure passage provided by the city's strategic location.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Segovia can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval manuscript compiled in the 14th century, which documented the feudal holdings and vassalage relationships in the Kingdom of Castile. This document includes references to individuals bearing the surname Segovia.
In the 15th century, Juan de Segovia (1393-1458) was a notable Spanish theologian and philosopher who participated in the Council of Basel and wrote extensively on ecclesiastical and theological matters. Another prominent figure with the surname Segovia was Antonio de Segovia (1489-1548), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés.
During the 16th century, Diego de Segovia (1520-1584) was a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Chile and served as the governor of the province of Cuyo (now part of Argentina) from 1563 to 1566.
In the realm of literature, Juan José Segovia (1668-1723) was a Spanish poet and dramatist who gained recognition for his works in the Baroque style, including the play "El Amor al Uso" (Love in Fashion).
Another notable figure with the surname Segovia was Andrés Segovia (1893-1987), a renowned Spanish classical guitarist who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of the classical guitar. He played a significant role in popularizing the guitar as a concert instrument and inspired countless musicians around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Segovia
Among Census respondents with the surname Segovia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Segovia 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 Segovia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.8% · 12,009
- White5.3% · 693
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 243
- Black or African American0.5% · 59
- Two or more races0.4% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Segovia
Segovia 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
#2,733
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,182
+3,836 bearers (+41.0%)
Per 100,000 4.47
Rank movement Up 765 places
2020
#2,687
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,087
-95 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 4.38
Rank movement Up 46 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,498 | 9,346 | 3.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,733 | 13,182 | 4.47 | +3,836 bearers (+41.0%) | Up 765 places |
| 2020 | #2,687 | 13,087 | 4.38 | -95 bearers (-0.7%) | Up 46 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 Segovia 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 | #2,733 | #2,687 | 1.7% |
| Count | 13,182 | 13,087 | -0.7% |
| Per 100K | 4.47 | 4.38 | -2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Segovia bearers went from 13,182 to 13,087 (-0.7% change). The surname moved up 46 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,733 to #2,687.
FAQ
Segovia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Segovia?
Name Census estimates that about 15,007 living Americans carry the surname Segovia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 22,840 residents.
How common is Segovia?
Segovia ranks #2,687 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.38 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 13,087 people with the surname Segovia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,007), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.38 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 Segovia.
Has Segovia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Segovia went from 13,182 recorded bearers to 13,087. That is a decrease of 95 (-0.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,733 to #2,687.
What does the Census say about the background of Segovia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Segovia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.8%. The next largest groups are White (5.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Segovia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (12,009 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Segovia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.8%), White (5.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Segovia (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 Segovia mean?
A habitational surname referring to someone from the city or province of Segovia in central 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 Segovia (4.38 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 Americans have the surname Segovia?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.