2010
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Xec
A surname of Vietnamese origin derived from a Chinese term for "thanks" or "blessing".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 212 Americans carry the last name Xec. That puts it at #103,399 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,616,766 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xec 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
212
1 in 1,616,766
Census rank
#103,399
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
185
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 185 bearers of the surname Xec in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 103399th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xec, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.8%. The next largest groups are White (0.5%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xec
The surname XEC traces its origins to Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain, during the medieval period. Catalonia was known for its distinct language and culture, often influenced by a mix of Iberian, Roman, and later influences from the Frankish Empire. The surname appears to have emerged from the area around the cities of Girona and Barcelona in the 12th century.
XEC seems to derive from an old Catalan word xequer, which was a term used to describe a specific form of professional or occupational role, perhaps related to bookkeeping or administration. The medieval Catalan language often employed the suffix -ec or -ec in occupational names, which could explain the formation of XEC from xequer. Similar spellings in old records include Xecre and Secher, indicating potential variations due to phonetic transcription over centuries.
One of the earliest historical references to the surname XEC appears in a 13th-century land grant document preserved in the archives of Barcelona, indicating the presence of a Jordi XEC who owned a parcel of land outside the city in 1274. Another manuscript from 1351 references Marta XEC, a merchant in Girona, who was involved in the trade of textiles, indicating the surname was associated with varied professions.
The surname appears in the records of the Spanish Inquisition in the late 1400s, with Juan XEC noted as a staunch defender of Christian teachings against the spread of other religious influences. He was an influential figure in his community, born circa 1440 and dying in 1506.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname XEC can be found in ecclesiastical records. Notably, a priest named Pere XEC, born in 1510, is mentioned in monastery records and recognized for his contributions to the translation of religious texts into Catalan. Pere XEC lived a long life, passing away in 1580.
In the realm of literature, the 18th-century poet Ricard XEC of Barcelona gained some renown. Born in 1725, Ricard was known for his lyrical works that celebrated the Catalan landscape and cultural heritage. His work, while not widely known today, was influential in the literary circles of his time. Ricard XEC died in 1789.
Entering the 19th century, the revolutionary fervor in Europe saw the involvement of the XEC lineage yet again. Francesca XEC, born in 1802, was a noted activist advocating for Catalonian independence from Spanish rule. Her efforts and speeches left a significant legacy in the regional archives before her death in 1865.
By connecting these references, the surname XEC emerges as a historical marker of Catalonian heritage, representative of varied professional roles, cultural contributions, and revolutionary spirit over the centuries. The name continues to hold historical significance in the context of Catalan history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xec
Among Census respondents with the surname Xec, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.8%. The next largest groups are White (0.5%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Xec 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 Xec surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino97.8% · 181
- White0.5% · 1
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xec
Xec appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#103,399
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 185
+51 bearers (+38.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 24,095 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #103,399 | 185 | 0.06 | +51 bearers (+38.1%) | Up 24,095 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 Xec 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 | #127,494 | #103,399 | 18.9% |
| Count | 134 | 185 | 38.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xec bearers went from 134 to 185 (+38.1% change). The surname moved up 24,095 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #103,399.
FAQ
Xec surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xec?
Name Census estimates that about 212 living Americans carry the surname Xec. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,616,766 residents.
How common is Xec?
Xec ranks #103,399 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 185 people with the surname Xec. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (212), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Xec.
Has Xec become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xec went from 134 recorded bearers to 185. That is an increase of 51 (+38.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #127,494 to #103,399.
What does the Census say about the background of Xec?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xec, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.8%. The next largest groups are White (0.5%) and Black (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 Xec in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.8% (181 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xec appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (97.8%), White (0.5%), Black (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 Xec (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 Xec mean?
A surname of Vietnamese origin derived from a Chinese term for "thanks" or "blessing". 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 Xec (0.06 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 Americans have the surname Xec?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.