2000
#16,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,652
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.61
Rare Last name
Vivas
Derived from the Spanish word "vivas," meaning "long life," indicating a wish for longevity or good health.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,202 Americans carry the last name Vivas. That puts it at #8,608 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 81,569 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vivas 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
4.2K
1 in 81,569
Census rank
#8,608
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,664 bearers of the surname Vivas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8608th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vivas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vivas
The surname Vivas has its origins in the Spanish and Portuguese languages, with roots dating back to the medieval period. This name is believed to have derived from the Latin word "vivus," meaning "alive" or "living," suggesting a connection to vitality or a person's liveliness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Vivas surname can be traced back to the 12th century, where it appeared in various historical documents from the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who displayed an energetic or vibrant personality.
During the Middle Ages, the Vivas surname was particularly prevalent in regions such as Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia, where it was associated with noble families and prominent individuals. One notable figure from this era was Juan de Vivas, a 14th-century Spanish military commander who served under King Alfonso XI of Castile.
As the centuries passed, the Vivas name spread across the Iberian Peninsula and eventually made its way to the Americas during the age of exploration and colonization. In the 16th century, records show that several individuals with the surname Vivas were among the early Spanish settlers in the New World, particularly in regions like Mexico and Peru.
One prominent individual from this period was Juan de Vivas y Contreras, a 16th-century Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro. He played a significant role in the establishment of Spanish settlements in South America.
Another notable figure was Francisco Vivas, a 17th-century Spanish missionary and linguist who worked among the indigenous communities in present-day Colombia. He is credited with contributing to the preservation of indigenous languages and cultures in the region.
In the 18th century, the Vivas surname gained further recognition with individuals such as José Vivas, a renowned Spanish painter and engraver whose works were highly acclaimed during the Baroque period.
As the name spread across the globe, it also found its way to other parts of the world, including regions like Italy and France, where variations of the spelling, such as Vivas or Vivas, emerged.
Throughout history, the Vivas surname has been associated with various fields, including military, exploration, religion, arts, and academia. Despite its widespread distribution, the name has maintained its connection to its Spanish and Portuguese roots, serving as a lasting legacy of the vibrant and energetic spirit embodied by those who bore this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vivas
Among Census respondents with the surname Vivas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Vivas 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 Vivas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino89.8% · 3,292
- White4.8% · 177
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.5% · 129
- Two or more races1.1% · 39
- Black or African American0.6% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vivas
Vivas 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
#11,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,746
+1,094 bearers (+66.2%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Up 4,643 places
2020
#8,608
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,664
+918 bearers (+33.4%)
Per 100,000 1.23
Rank movement Up 2,858 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,109 | 1,652 | 0.61 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,466 | 2,746 | 0.93 | +1,094 bearers (+66.2%) | Up 4,643 places |
| 2020 | #8,608 | 3,664 | 1.23 | +918 bearers (+33.4%) | Up 2,858 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 Vivas 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 | #11,466 | #8,608 | 24.9% |
| Count | 2,746 | 3,664 | 33.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.93 | 1.23 | 31.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vivas bearers went from 2,746 to 3,664 (+33.4% change). The surname moved up 2,858 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,466 to #8,608.
FAQ
Vivas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vivas?
Name Census estimates that about 4,202 living Americans carry the surname Vivas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 81,569 residents.
How common is Vivas?
Vivas ranks #8,608 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.23 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 3,664 people with the surname Vivas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,202), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.23 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 Vivas.
Has Vivas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vivas went from 2,746 recorded bearers to 3,664. That is an increase of 918 (+33.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,466 to #8,608.
What does the Census say about the background of Vivas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vivas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 89.8%. The next largest groups are White (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%). 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 Vivas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (3,292 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vivas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (89.8%), White (4.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%). 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 Vivas (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 Vivas mean?
Derived from the Spanish word "vivas," meaning "long life," indicating a wish for longevity or good health. 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 Vivas (1.23 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 Vivas?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Vivas, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.