2000
#24,807
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 942
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.35
Rare Last name
Febles
A surname of Spanish origin meaning "weak" or "feeble".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,432 Americans carry the last name Febles. That puts it at #21,342 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 239,354 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Febles 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
1.4K
1 in 239,354
Census rank
#21,342
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,249 bearers of the surname Febles in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21342nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Febles, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.1%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Black (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Febles
The surname FEBLES originated in Spain during the medieval period, likely derived from the Latin word "fabulae" or "fabula," meaning "story" or "tale." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with storytellers, poets, or those skilled in the art of narration.
The earliest known records of the FEBLES surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Andalusia and Castile, where it appears in various municipal and ecclesiastical documents. It is believed that the name may have initially been a nickname or occupational surname, given to individuals who excelled in storytelling or had a talent for recounting tales and fables.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FEBLES surname can be found in a 1275 census record from the town of Córdoba, where a certain Juan FEBLES is listed as a resident. Additionally, the name appears in the 14th-century "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile, which mentions a Pedro FEBLES among the list of hunters and falconers.
In the 15th century, the FEBLES name gained prominence with the birth of Alonso FEBLES (c. 1430-1498), a renowned poet and writer from Seville. His works, including the epic poem "El Laberinto de Fortuna" (The Labyrinth of Fortune), were widely celebrated and contributed to the literary landscape of the Spanish Renaissance.
Another notable figure bearing the FEBLES surname was Diego FEBLES (c. 1520-1585), a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to the Americas. FEBLES played a crucial role in the conquest of Mexico and is credited with mapping and charting various territories in the New World.
In the 17th century, the FEBLES family established roots in the Canary Islands, where they became prominent landowners and traders. One significant figure from this era was Gaspar FEBLES (1637-1712), a wealthy merchant and ship owner whose fleet transported goods between the Canary Islands and the Spanish mainland.
The FEBLES surname also found its way to the Americas, with several individuals bearing the name appearing in colonial records from the 16th and 17th centuries. One such person was Juan FEBLES (c. 1580-1650), a Spanish settler who established a successful farming and ranching operation in present-day Mexico.
Throughout its history, the FEBLES surname has been associated with various professions, from writers and poets to explorers, merchants, and landowners. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Spain, the name has since spread across the globe, with FEBLES families found in numerous countries, including Spain, Mexico, and various Latin American nations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Febles
Among Census respondents with the surname Febles, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.1%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Black (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Febles 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 Febles surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino90.1% · 1,125
- White7.9% · 99
- Black or African American1.3% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 4
- Two or more races0.3% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Febles
Febles 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
#21,960
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,182
+240 bearers (+25.5%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Up 2,847 places
2020
#21,342
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,249
+67 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Up 618 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,807 | 942 | 0.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #21,960 | 1,182 | 0.40 | +240 bearers (+25.5%) | Up 2,847 places |
| 2020 | #21,342 | 1,249 | 0.42 | +67 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 618 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 Febles 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 | #21,960 | #21,342 | 2.8% |
| Count | 1,182 | 1,249 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.40 | 0.42 | 4.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Febles bearers went from 1,182 to 1,249 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 618 positions in the national ranking, going from #21,960 to #21,342.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Febles
FAQ
Febles surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Febles?
Name Census estimates that about 1,432 living Americans carry the surname Febles. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 239,354 residents.
How common is Febles?
Febles ranks #21,342 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.42 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 1,249 people with the surname Febles. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,432), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.42 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 Febles.
Has Febles become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Febles went from 1,182 recorded bearers to 1,249. That is an increase of 67 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #21,960 to #21,342.
What does the Census say about the background of Febles?
Among Census respondents with the surname Febles, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 90.1%. The next largest groups are White (7.9%) and Black (1.3%). 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 Febles in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.1% (1,125 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Febles appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (90.1%), White (7.9%), Black (1.3%). 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 Febles (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 Febles mean?
A surname of Spanish origin meaning "weak" or "feeble". 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 Febles (0.42 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 common is the surname Febles?
See how many people have the surname Febles on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.