2000
#11,317
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,562
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.95
Rare Last name
Veras
Derived from the Latin word "vērus," meaning "true" or "genuine," likely referring to a truthful or honest person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,465 Americans carry the last name Veras. That puts it at #8,135 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,765 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Veras 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
4.5K
1 in 76,765
Census rank
#8,135
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,894 bearers of the surname Veras in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8135th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Veras, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Black (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Veras
The surname Veras originated in Spain, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "vera," meaning "true" or "authentic." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive surname to someone who was known for their honesty and truthfulness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Veras can be found in the Spanish census records of the city of Seville from the year 1492. These records mention a family by the name of Veras residing in the city during that time period.
In the 16th century, the name Veras began appearing in other parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Catalonia and Aragon. Historical documents from this era, such as land deeds and church records, often mention individuals with the surname Veras.
One notable figure bearing the name Veras was Juan Veras, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. He was among the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Puerto Rico and played a role in the early colonization efforts in the Caribbean.
During the 17th century, the Veras family became prominent in the city of Barcelona. A notable member of this family was Pedro Veras, a wealthy merchant who funded the construction of a church and a hospital in the city. The church, known as the Iglesia de Santa María de las Veras, still stands today and bears the family's name.
In the 18th century, the name Veras spread to other parts of Europe, particularly to France and Italy. One famous individual with this surname was Antonio Veras, an Italian painter and architect born in Naples in 1723. He is best known for his work on the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome.
Another notable figure with the surname Veras was María Veras, a Spanish writer and poet who lived in the late 18th century. She was widely acclaimed for her poetry, which explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
As the centuries passed, the Veras surname continued to be carried by individuals in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with Spanish and Latin American influences. However, the name's origins and historical significance can be traced back to its roots in medieval Spain, where it first emerged as a descriptor of one's truthful and authentic character.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Veras
Among Census respondents with the surname Veras, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Black (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Veras 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 Veras surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.7% · 3,572
- White5.8% · 225
- Black or African American1.2% · 47
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 37
- Two or more races0.3% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Veras
Veras 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
#8,694
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,776
+1,214 bearers (+47.4%)
Per 100,000 1.28
Rank movement Up 2,623 places
2020
#8,135
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,894
+118 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 1.30
Rank movement Up 559 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,317 | 2,562 | 0.95 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,694 | 3,776 | 1.28 | +1,214 bearers (+47.4%) | Up 2,623 places |
| 2020 | #8,135 | 3,894 | 1.30 | +118 bearers (+3.1%) | Up 559 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 Veras 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 | #8,694 | #8,135 | 6.4% |
| Count | 3,776 | 3,894 | 3.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.28 | 1.30 | 1.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Veras bearers went from 3,776 to 3,894 (+3.1% change). The surname moved up 559 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,694 to #8,135.
FAQ
Veras surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Veras?
Name Census estimates that about 4,465 living Americans carry the surname Veras. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,765 residents.
How common is Veras?
Veras ranks #8,135 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.30 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 3,894 people with the surname Veras. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,465), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.30 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 Veras.
Has Veras become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Veras went from 3,776 recorded bearers to 3,894. That is an increase of 118 (+3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,694 to #8,135.
What does the Census say about the background of Veras?
Among Census respondents with the surname Veras, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.8%) and Black (1.2%). 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 Veras in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (3,572 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Veras appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.7%), White (5.8%), Black (1.2%). 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 Veras (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 Veras mean?
Derived from the Latin word "vērus," meaning "true" or "genuine," likely referring to a truthful or honest 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 Veras (1.30 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 Veras?
See how many people have the last name Veras on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.