2000
#6,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,135
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.90
Rare Last name
Davalos
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of various places called Dávalos, derived from a Basque surname.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,942 Americans carry the last name Davalos. That puts it at #4,929 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 43,157 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Davalos 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
7.9K
1 in 43,157
Census rank
#4,929
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,926 bearers of the surname Davalos in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4929th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Davalos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Davalos
The surname Davalos is of Spanish origin, originating in the northern regions of Spain during the medieval period. It is believed to have been derived from the Spanish place name Dávalos, which itself comes from the Basque words "dau" meaning "it is" and "balos" meaning "valley." This suggests that the name may have originated from a family or individual residing in a particular valley or region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Davalos can be found in the 14th century, when a nobleman named Ruy López Dávalos served as a prominent military leader and advisor to King Henry III of Castile. Born in 1357, Ruy López Dávalos played a crucial role in various military campaigns and was known for his strategic acumen and loyalty to the crown.
Another notable figure bearing the Davalos surname was Pedro Dávalos, who lived in the early 15th century. He was a Spanish soldier and military commander who fought alongside King Alfonso V of Aragon during the Conquest of Naples. Pedro Dávalos was highly respected for his bravery and military prowess, and he was granted extensive lands and titles in recognition of his service.
In the 16th century, the name Davalos appeared in various historical records, including the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. One such figure was Juan Dávalos, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to the New World. Juan Dávalos played a significant role in the conquest, participating in several battles and serving as one of Cortés's trusted lieutenants.
The Davalos name can also be found in the annals of Spanish literature. In the 17th century, there was a renowned poet and playwright named Gonzalo Dávalos, who was born in Madrid in 1609. Gonzalo Dávalos was a member of the Spanish literary movement known as the Golden Age, and his works were widely celebrated for their lyrical beauty and profound themes.
Another prominent figure with the Davalos surname was José María Dávalos, a Spanish military officer and politician who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in 1768, José María Dávalos played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars, serving as a general in the Spanish army and later becoming a prominent political figure during the reign of King Ferdinand VII.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Davalos. The name's origins can be traced back to the medieval period in northern Spain, and it has been carried by notable figures across various fields, including military leaders, conquistadors, writers, and politicians.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Davalos
Among Census respondents with the surname Davalos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Davalos 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 Davalos surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.3% · 6,391
- White5.7% · 398
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 68
- Two or more races0.4% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 25
- Black or African American0.2% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Davalos
Davalos 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
#5,079
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,894
+1,759 bearers (+34.3%)
Per 100,000 2.34
Rank movement Up 1,062 places
2020
#4,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,926
+32 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 2.32
Rank movement Up 150 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,141 | 5,135 | 1.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,079 | 6,894 | 2.34 | +1,759 bearers (+34.3%) | Up 1,062 places |
| 2020 | #4,929 | 6,926 | 2.32 | +32 bearers (+0.5%) | Up 150 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 Davalos 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 | #5,079 | #4,929 | 3.0% |
| Count | 6,894 | 6,926 | 0.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.34 | 2.32 | -1.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Davalos bearers went from 6,894 to 6,926 (+0.5% change). The surname moved up 150 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,079 to #4,929.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Davalos
FAQ
Davalos surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Davalos?
Name Census estimates that about 7,942 living Americans carry the surname Davalos. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 43,157 residents.
How common is Davalos?
Davalos ranks #4,929 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,926 people with the surname Davalos. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,942), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Davalos.
Has Davalos become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Davalos went from 6,894 recorded bearers to 6,926. That is an increase of 32 (+0.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,079 to #4,929.
What does the Census say about the background of Davalos?
Among Census respondents with the surname Davalos, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.3%. The next largest groups are White (5.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Davalos in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (6,391 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Davalos appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.3%), White (5.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Davalos (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 Davalos mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of various places called Dávalos, derived from a Basque surname. 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 Davalos (2.32 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 share the surname Davalos?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.