2000
#989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 32,147
First available Census row
Per 100,000 11.92
Uncommon Last name
Barajas
A habitational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Barajas in Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 49,684 Americans carry the last name Barajas. That puts it at #777 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 14.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,899 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barajas 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
50K
1 in 6,899
Census rank
#777
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
14.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
43K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 43,327 bearers of the surname Barajas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 14.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 777th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barajas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Black (0.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barajas
The surname Barajas originated in Spain, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Spanish word "baraja," meaning a deck of cards or a pack of playing cards. It is believed that the name was initially given to individuals involved in the production or trade of playing cards, which were highly valued during that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Barajas surname can be found in the town of Barajas de Melo, located in the province of Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain. This town served as a center for the manufacture and distribution of playing cards, contributing to the widespread use of the surname in the surrounding areas.
Historical records from the 15th century mention a prominent figure named Juan de Barajas, a skilled card maker and merchant who supplied playing cards to the Spanish nobility. His reputation and success in the trade likely led to the surname becoming more established and associated with the craft.
Another notable figure from the 16th century was Alonso de Barajas, a renowned artist and calligrapher known for his exquisite designs on playing card decks. His artistic contributions elevated the status of playing cards and the Barajas name during the Renaissance period.
In the 17th century, the Barajas surname gained further prominence with the birth of Francisco de Barajas y Lozano, a Spanish military officer and explorer who played a significant role in the colonization of the Americas. His expedition to the region now known as Texas left a lasting mark on the history of the area.
Moving into the 18th century, the name Barajas appeared in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, with Diego de Barajas being accused and tried for heretical beliefs. Despite the controversy, his case shed light on the complex sociopolitical landscape of the time and the influence of the Barajas family.
As the centuries progressed, the Barajas surname continued to spread across Spain and eventually to other parts of the world, particularly Latin America, due to Spanish colonization and migration. Many individuals bearing the name Barajas have made significant contributions in various fields, including the arts, literature, and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barajas
Among Census respondents with the surname Barajas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Black (0.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Barajas 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 Barajas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.7% · 41,482
- White3.5% · 1,503
- Black or African American0.2% · 96
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 89
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 81
- Two or more races0.2% · 76
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barajas
Barajas 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
#763
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 45,153
+13,006 bearers (+40.5%)
Per 100,000 15.31
Rank movement Up 226 places
2020
#777
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 43,327
-1,826 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 14.50
Rank movement Down 14 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #989 | 32,147 | 11.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #763 | 45,153 | 15.31 | +13,006 bearers (+40.5%) | Up 226 places |
| 2020 | #777 | 43,327 | 14.50 | -1,826 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 14 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 Barajas 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 | #763 | #777 | -1.8% |
| Count | 45,153 | 43,327 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 15.31 | 14.50 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barajas bearers went from 45,153 to 43,327 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 14 positions in the national ranking, going from #763 to #777.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Barajas
FAQ
Barajas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barajas?
Name Census estimates that about 49,684 living Americans carry the surname Barajas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 6,899 residents.
How common is Barajas?
Barajas ranks #777 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 14.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 14 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 43,327 people with the surname Barajas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (49,684), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 14.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 14.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 14 of them to have the surname Barajas.
Has Barajas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barajas went from 45,153 recorded bearers to 43,327. That is a decrease of 1,826 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #763 to #777.
What does the Census say about the background of Barajas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barajas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.5%) and Black (0.2%). 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 Barajas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (41,482 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barajas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.7%), White (3.5%), Black (0.2%). 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 Barajas (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 Barajas mean?
A habitational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Barajas in Spain. 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 Barajas (14.50 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 Barajas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.