2000
#10,245
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,887
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.07
Rare Last name
Sequeira
A Portuguese toponymic surname indicating an individual from the town of Sequeira in Portugal.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,339 Americans carry the last name Sequeira. That puts it at #8,377 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sequeira 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 Sequeira with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.3K
1 in 78,994
Census rank
#8,377
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,784 bearers of the surname Sequeira in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8377th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sequeira, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 46.0%. The next largest groups are White (29.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (15.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sequeira
The surname Sequeira originates from Portugal, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "sequeiro," which means a dry or arid place, likely referring to someone who lived in or came from a dry or parched region.
In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Siqueira" or "Siqueyra," reflecting the variations in orthography that were common during that time. These alternate spellings can be found in some of the earliest records mentioning individuals with this surname.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Sequeira can be found in the famous Livro Velho de Linhagens, a collection of genealogical records compiled in the 13th century. It mentions several individuals bearing this surname, indicating its presence in Portugal during that era.
Over the centuries, the Sequeira family branched out and established themselves in various regions of Portugal, with some members achieving notable positions in society. For instance, João Rodrigues Sequeira (1500-1580) was a prominent Portuguese explorer and navigator who led expeditions to India and Southeast Asia.
Another notable figure was Domingos Antonio de Sequeira (1768-1837), a Portuguese painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his neoclassical works. His paintings and sculptures can be found in various museums and galleries across Portugal.
In the literary realm, Joaquim Pedro de Sequeira (1814-1885) was a renowned Portuguese poet and writer, known for his contributions to the Romantic movement in Portuguese literature.
Beyond Portugal, the Sequeira surname also found its way to other parts of the world, particularly to former Portuguese colonies. For example, Francisco Rodrigues da Cunha Sequeira (1673-1737) was a Portuguese military officer who served as the Governor of Macau, a former Portuguese colony in China.
Another notable figure was José da Sequeira Samuda (1810-1896), a Portuguese-born British engineer and shipbuilder who played a significant role in the development of iron shipbuilding in the United Kingdom.
These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the Sequeira surname, which has its roots firmly planted in the rich cultural tapestry of Portugal, while also finding its place in various corners of the world through exploration, migration, and notable achievements of individuals bearing this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sequeira
Among Census respondents with the surname Sequeira, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 46.0%. The next largest groups are White (29.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (15.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sequeira 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 Sequeira surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino46.0% · 1,740
- White29.7% · 1,123
- Asian and Pacific Islander15.9% · 602
- Two or more races4.1% · 156
- Black or African American4.1% · 155
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sequeira
Sequeira 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
#9,006
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,631
+744 bearers (+25.8%)
Per 100,000 1.23
Rank movement Up 1,239 places
2020
#8,377
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,784
+153 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.27
Rank movement Up 629 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,245 | 2,887 | 1.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,006 | 3,631 | 1.23 | +744 bearers (+25.8%) | Up 1,239 places |
| 2020 | #8,377 | 3,784 | 1.27 | +153 bearers (+4.2%) | Up 629 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 Sequeira 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 | #9,006 | #8,377 | 7.0% |
| Count | 3,631 | 3,784 | 4.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.23 | 1.27 | 2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sequeira bearers went from 3,631 to 3,784 (+4.2% change). The surname moved up 629 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,006 to #8,377.
FAQ
Sequeira surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sequeira?
Name Census estimates that about 4,339 living Americans carry the surname Sequeira. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 78,994 residents.
How common is Sequeira?
Sequeira ranks #8,377 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.27 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 3,784 people with the surname Sequeira. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,339), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.27 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 Sequeira.
Has Sequeira become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sequeira went from 3,631 recorded bearers to 3,784. That is an increase of 153 (+4.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,006 to #8,377.
What does the Census say about the background of Sequeira?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sequeira, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 46.0%. The next largest groups are White (29.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (15.9%). 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 Sequeira in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.0% (1,740 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sequeira appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (46.0%), White (29.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (15.9%). 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 Sequeira (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 Sequeira mean?
A Portuguese toponymic surname indicating an individual from the town of Sequeira in Portugal. 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 Sequeira (1.27 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 are called Sequeira?
You can see how many people have the last name Sequeira on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.