2000
#9,472
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,150
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Corpus
A Latin surname meaning "body," likely referring to a person's physique or a topographical feature resembling a body.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,453 Americans carry the last name Corpus. That puts it at #8,161 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 76,972 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Corpus 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 76,972
Census rank
#8,161
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,883 bearers of the surname Corpus in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8161st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Corpus, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 60.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (26.0%) and White (8.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Corpus
The surname CORPUS is of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word "corpus" meaning "body." It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name, possibly given to a stout or large-bodied person. The name can be traced back to the medieval period in various European countries, including England, France, and Italy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CORPUS appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Corpus" and is found in several locations across England.
In the 13th century, there are records of a John CORPUS in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, dated 1230. Another notable early bearer of the name was Robertus CORPUS, a landowner mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1275.
During the 14th century, the name CORPUS appeared in various spellings, such as "Corpuz" and "Corpas," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. One prominent individual from this period was William CORPUS, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, born around 1320.
In the 15th century, the name CORPUS gained further recognition with the birth of John CORPUS (c. 1450-1520), an English churchman and scholar who served as the Warden of Winchester College. He was known for his contributions to education and his writings on theology.
As the name spread across Europe, it also took on variations based on local languages and dialects. In France, for instance, the name appeared as "Corpeau" or "Corpet," while in Italy, it was recorded as "Corpacci" or "Corpini."
Another notable figure bearing the CORPUS surname was Jacobus CORPUS (1535-1599), a Dutch philosopher and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was known for his writings on theology and his advocacy for religious tolerance.
In the 17th century, the CORPUS name was found in various parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where Pieter CORPUS (1610-1678) was a prominent painter and engraver renowned for his landscape and architectural works.
As the name continued to spread and evolve, it took on regional variations and was influenced by local dialects and languages. However, its Latin roots remained evident, reflecting the rich history and diverse cultural influences that have shaped this surname over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Corpus
Among Census respondents with the surname Corpus, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 60.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (26.0%) and White (8.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Corpus 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 Corpus surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino60.4% · 2,346
- Asian and Pacific Islander26.0% · 1,010
- White8.1% · 316
- Two or more races4.2% · 162
- Black or African American0.6% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Corpus
Corpus 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
#8,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,901
+751 bearers (+23.8%)
Per 100,000 1.32
Rank movement Up 1,005 places
2020
#8,161
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,883
-18 bearers (-0.5%)
Per 100,000 1.30
Rank movement Up 306 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,472 | 3,150 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,467 | 3,901 | 1.32 | +751 bearers (+23.8%) | Up 1,005 places |
| 2020 | #8,161 | 3,883 | 1.30 | -18 bearers (-0.5%) | Up 306 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 Corpus 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 | #8,467 | #8,161 | 3.6% |
| Count | 3,901 | 3,883 | -0.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.32 | 1.30 | -1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Corpus bearers went from 3,901 to 3,883 (-0.5% change). The surname moved up 306 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,467 to #8,161.
FAQ
Corpus surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Corpus?
Name Census estimates that about 4,453 living Americans carry the surname Corpus. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 76,972 residents.
How common is Corpus?
Corpus ranks #8,161 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 3,883 people with the surname Corpus. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,453), 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 Corpus.
Has Corpus become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Corpus went from 3,901 recorded bearers to 3,883. That is a decrease of 18 (-0.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #8,467 to #8,161.
What does the Census say about the background of Corpus?
Among Census respondents with the surname Corpus, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 60.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (26.0%) and White (8.1%). 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 Corpus in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.4% (2,346 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Corpus appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (60.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (26.0%), White (8.1%). 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 Corpus (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 Corpus mean?
A Latin surname meaning "body," likely referring to a person's physique or a topographical feature resembling a body. 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 Corpus (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 surname Corpus?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.