2000
#12,919
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,181
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.81
Rare Last name
Troncoso
Derived from the Spanish word "tronco," referring to a tree trunk or a strong, robust person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,487 Americans carry the last name Troncoso. That puts it at #10,101 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 98,295 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Troncoso 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
3.5K
1 in 98,295
Census rank
#10,101
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,041 bearers of the surname Troncoso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10101st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Troncoso, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.2%. The next largest groups are White (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Troncoso
The surname Troncoso is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Spanish region of Castilla y León, specifically in the province of Salamanca. The name is derived from the Spanish word "tronco," meaning "tree trunk" or "log," combined with the suffix "-oso," which denotes abundance or possession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Troncoso can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, an important historical document from the 14th century that recorded landowners and their properties in Castile. This suggests that the Troncoso family held significant landholdings and influence during that time period.
In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Juan Troncoso served as a royal treasurer and accountant under King Juan II of Castile. His son, Alonso Troncoso, was a renowned poet and author who lived from 1450 to 1525, and his works are considered valuable literary contributions of the Spanish Renaissance.
During the 16th century, the Troncoso family expanded its presence throughout Spain and the Spanish colonies in the Americas. Juan de Troncoso, born in 1520, was a prominent conquistador who participated in the conquest of present-day Mexico and later served as the governor of Yucatán.
Another notable figure was Pedro Troncoso, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 1500s. He was known for his bravery and leadership in various battles against the Aztecs.
In the 17th century, Diego Troncoso was a renowned architect and master builder who contributed to the construction of several significant churches and monasteries in Spain, including the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, which is considered one of the most important Baroque structures in the country.
While the Troncoso surname has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Latin America, where it has been adopted by numerous families over the centuries due to Spanish colonization and migration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Troncoso
Among Census respondents with the surname Troncoso, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.2%. The next largest groups are White (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Troncoso 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 Troncoso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino90.2% · 2,743
- White7.5% · 228
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 34
- Black or African American0.6% · 19
- Two or more races0.5% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Troncoso
Troncoso 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
#10,822
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,943
+762 bearers (+34.9%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 2,097 places
2020
#10,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,041
+98 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Up 721 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,919 | 2,181 | 0.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,822 | 2,943 | 1.00 | +762 bearers (+34.9%) | Up 2,097 places |
| 2020 | #10,101 | 3,041 | 1.02 | +98 bearers (+3.3%) | Up 721 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 Troncoso 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 | #10,822 | #10,101 | 6.7% |
| Count | 2,943 | 3,041 | 3.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.00 | 1.02 | 1.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Troncoso bearers went from 2,943 to 3,041 (+3.3% change). The surname moved up 721 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,822 to #10,101.
FAQ
Troncoso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Troncoso?
Name Census estimates that about 3,487 living Americans carry the surname Troncoso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 98,295 residents.
How common is Troncoso?
Troncoso ranks #10,101 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.02 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 3,041 people with the surname Troncoso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,487), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.02 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 Troncoso.
Has Troncoso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Troncoso went from 2,943 recorded bearers to 3,041. That is an increase of 98 (+3.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,822 to #10,101.
What does the Census say about the background of Troncoso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Troncoso, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.2%. The next largest groups are White (7.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Troncoso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.2% (2,743 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Troncoso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (90.2%), White (7.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.1%). 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 Troncoso (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 Troncoso mean?
Derived from the Spanish word "tronco," referring to a tree trunk or a strong, robust person. 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 Troncoso (1.02 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 Troncoso?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Troncoso on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.