2000
#15,500
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,734
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.64
Rare Last name
Vaquera
An occupational surname of Spanish origin referring to a cowgirl or female cowhand.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,470 Americans carry the last name Vaquera. That puts it at #13,501 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 138,767 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vaquera 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
2.5K
1 in 138,767
Census rank
#13,501
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,154 bearers of the surname Vaquera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13501st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vaquera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vaquera
The surname Vaquera has its origins in Spain, derived from the Spanish word "vaquero," meaning "cowboy" or "cattle herder." The name likely emerged during the medieval period, when the occupation of tending cattle was a common and significant one in the rural regions of Spain.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Vaquera can be traced back to the 13th century, with references found in various municipal records and property deeds across the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed that the name was initially associated with individuals or families whose primary livelihood revolved around the herding and management of cattle.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Juan Vaquera (1421-1487) gained recognition as a skilled artisan and sculptor, contributing to the embellishment of several churches and cathedrals in Andalusia. His intricate woodcarvings and stone sculptures showcased his artistic mastery and helped further establish the Vaquera name in the annals of Spanish history.
During the 16th century, the Vaquera surname appeared in various Spanish colonial records, indicating that some individuals bearing this name had ventured to the Americas as part of the Spanish exploration and settlement efforts. One such individual, Diego Vaquera (1532-1602), was a prominent rancher and landowner in what is now Mexico, owning vast tracts of land dedicated to cattle ranching.
In the 17th century, the Vaquera surname gained prominence in the literary realm with the publication of a celebrated work titled "La Vaquera de la Finojosa" by Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627), a renowned Spanish poet and playwright. This work, which featured a character bearing the Vaquera name, contributed to the cultural significance and recognition of the surname.
Another notable figure was María Vaquera (1675-1742), a skilled weaver and textile artist from Valencia, whose intricate tapestries and rugs adorned the homes of many noble families and garnered international acclaim for her craftsmanship.
Throughout the centuries, the Vaquera surname has maintained its connection to the cattle-herding and ranching traditions of Spain, with many bearers of the name continuing to be involved in related industries and occupations. While the name may have spread to different regions and countries due to migration and immigration, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Spain.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vaquera
Among Census respondents with the surname Vaquera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Vaquera 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 Vaquera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.1% · 2,026
- White4.9% · 106
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 11
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
- Two or more races0.1% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vaquera
Vaquera 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
#13,431
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,269
+535 bearers (+30.9%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Up 2,069 places
2020
#13,501
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,154
-115 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.72
Rank movement Down 70 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,500 | 1,734 | 0.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,431 | 2,269 | 0.77 | +535 bearers (+30.9%) | Up 2,069 places |
| 2020 | #13,501 | 2,154 | 0.72 | -115 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 70 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 Vaquera 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 | #13,431 | #13,501 | -0.5% |
| Count | 2,269 | 2,154 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.77 | 0.72 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vaquera bearers went from 2,269 to 2,154 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 70 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,431 to #13,501.
FAQ
Vaquera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vaquera?
Name Census estimates that about 2,470 living Americans carry the surname Vaquera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 138,767 residents.
How common is Vaquera?
Vaquera ranks #13,501 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.72 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 2,154 people with the surname Vaquera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,470), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.72 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 Vaquera.
Has Vaquera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vaquera went from 2,269 recorded bearers to 2,154. That is a decrease of 115 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,431 to #13,501.
What does the Census say about the background of Vaquera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vaquera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.1%. The next largest groups are White (4.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%). 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 Vaquera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (2,026 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vaquera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.1%), White (4.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%). 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 Vaquera (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 Vaquera mean?
An occupational surname of Spanish origin referring to a cowgirl or female cowhand. 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 Vaquera (0.72 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 common is the surname Vaquera?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Vaquera? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.