2000
#1,246
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 25,875
First available Census row
Per 100,000 9.59
Uncommon Last name
Avalos
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Ávalos or Dávalos.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 41,632 Americans carry the last name Avalos. That puts it at #944 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 12.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,233 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Avalos 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
42K
1 in 8,233
Census rank
#944
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
12.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
36K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 36,305 bearers of the surname Avalos in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 12.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 944th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Avalos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Avalos
The surname Avalos has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish place name "Ávalos," which is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha region. The name itself is thought to have evolved from the Latin word "abalus," meaning "hazel tree" or "hazelnut."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Avalos surname can be found in the 14th century. In 1349, a nobleman named Ruy López de Ávalos was mentioned in historical documents as the Lord of Avalos and a prominent figure in the court of King Alfonso XI of Castile. This suggests that the Avalos family held a significant position in Spanish nobility during that time.
The Avalos surname gained further prominence in the 15th century with the rise of the powerful Avalos family of Naples, Italy. This branch of the family originated from Spain but established themselves as influential nobles in the Kingdom of Naples. Notably, Innico d'Avalos, who lived from 1536 to 1600, was a renowned Spanish military commander and diplomat who served under Philip II of Spain.
In the 16th century, the Avalos name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts across Europe. One notable example is Fernando Francisco de Ávalos y Aquino, Marquis of Pescara, who was a Spanish nobleman and military leader born in 1489. He played a significant role in the Italian Wars and was celebrated for his military victories against the French.
Another prominent figure with the Avalos surname was Alfonso d'Avalos, Marquis del Vasto, born in 1502. He was a Spanish military commander and governor who served under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and played a crucial role in the Italian Wars and the conquest of Tunis.
In the 17th century, the Avalos family continued to hold significant power and influence in Spain and Italy. Juan de Avalos y Mendoza, born in 1622, was a Spanish nobleman and military leader who served as the Viceroy of Sardinia from 1672 to 1675.
Throughout history, the Avalos surname has been associated with nobility, military prowess, and political influence, particularly in Spain and Italy. While the name's origins can be traced back to a small municipality in Spain, the Avalos family left a lasting impact on European history through their accomplishments and contributions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Avalos
Among Census respondents with the surname Avalos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Avalos 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 Avalos surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.2% · 34,554
- White3.9% · 1,408
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 93
- Two or more races0.2% · 88
- Black or African American0.2% · 83
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 79
Timeline
Historical Census data for Avalos
Avalos 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
#940
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 36,922
+11,047 bearers (+42.7%)
Per 100,000 12.52
Rank movement Up 306 places
2020
#944
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 36,305
-617 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 12.15
Rank movement Down 4 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,246 | 25,875 | 9.59 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #940 | 36,922 | 12.52 | +11,047 bearers (+42.7%) | Up 306 places |
| 2020 | #944 | 36,305 | 12.15 | -617 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 4 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 Avalos 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 | #940 | #944 | -0.4% |
| Count | 36,922 | 36,305 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 12.52 | 12.15 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Avalos bearers went from 36,922 to 36,305 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 4 positions in the national ranking, going from #940 to #944.
FAQ
Avalos surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Avalos?
Name Census estimates that about 41,632 living Americans carry the surname Avalos. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 8,233 residents.
How common is Avalos?
Avalos ranks #944 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 12.15 per 100,000 residents, which is about 12 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 36,305 people with the surname Avalos. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (41,632), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 12.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 12.15 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 12 of them to have the surname Avalos.
Has Avalos become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Avalos went from 36,922 recorded bearers to 36,305. That is a decrease of 617 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #940 to #944.
What does the Census say about the background of Avalos?
Among Census respondents with the surname Avalos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.2%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%). 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 Avalos in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (34,554 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Avalos appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.2%), White (3.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.3%). 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 Avalos (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 Avalos mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Ávalos or Dávalos. 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 Avalos (12.15 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 surname Avalos?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.