2000
#10,483
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,810
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.04
Rare Last name
Lindo
A Spanish surname derived from the word "lindo," meaning "beautiful," "handsome," or "cute."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,382 Americans carry the last name Lindo. That puts it at #8,301 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.28 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 78,219 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lindo 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lindo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.4K
1 in 78,219
Census rank
#8,301
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,821 bearers of the surname Lindo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.28 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8301st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lindo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.6%) and White (14.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lindo
The surname LINDO has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "lindo," meaning "beautiful" or "elegant." This name was likely given as a descriptive nickname or a personal attribute, reflecting the physical appearance or character of the original bearer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LINDO can be found in the medieval Portuguese records, dating back to the 13th century. Documented examples include Pero Lindo, a nobleman from the region of Algarve, who lived during the reign of King Afonso III (1248-1279).
The LINDO surname also appeared in various Spanish historical documents, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura. In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Juan Lindo was a wealthy landowner and merchant in the city of Seville, known for his involvement in the lucrative trade with the Americas.
During the Age of Exploration, the LINDO surname spread to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, carried by adventurers, conquistadors, and settlers. One notable individual was Diego Lindo, a Spanish explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century.
In the realm of literature, the LINDO surname is mentioned in Miguel de Cervantes' famous novel "Don Quixote," where a character named Lindo appears as a shepherd in one of the stories.
Another significant figure was Pedro Lindo de Camargo, a Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippines in the late 17th century, who played a crucial role in defending the Spanish territories from foreign invasions.
The LINDO surname also gained prominence in Portugal, with individuals such as Manoel Lindo (1604-1670), a prominent merchant and diplomat who served as the Portuguese ambassador to England during the reign of King Charles II.
While the LINDO surname has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread worldwide, carried by migration and immigration patterns. Several notable individuals bearing this surname have left their mark throughout history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lindo
Among Census respondents with the surname Lindo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.6%) and White (14.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Lindo 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 Lindo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American48.5% · 1,853
- Hispanic or Latino24.6% · 940
- White14.7% · 561
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.1% · 232
- Two or more races6.0% · 228
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lindo
Lindo 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
#9,066
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,605
+795 bearers (+28.3%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Up 1,417 places
2020
#8,301
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,821
+216 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 1.28
Rank movement Up 765 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,483 | 2,810 | 1.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,066 | 3,605 | 1.22 | +795 bearers (+28.3%) | Up 1,417 places |
| 2020 | #8,301 | 3,821 | 1.28 | +216 bearers (+6.0%) | Up 765 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 Lindo 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 | #9,066 | #8,301 | 8.4% |
| Count | 3,605 | 3,821 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.28 | 4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lindo bearers went from 3,605 to 3,821 (+6.0% change). The surname moved up 765 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,066 to #8,301.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lindo
FAQ
Lindo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lindo?
Name Census estimates that about 4,382 living Americans carry the surname Lindo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 78,219 residents.
How common is Lindo?
Lindo ranks #8,301 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.28 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 3,821 people with the surname Lindo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,382), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.28 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.28 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 Lindo.
Has Lindo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lindo went from 3,605 recorded bearers to 3,821. That is an increase of 216 (+6.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,066 to #8,301.
What does the Census say about the background of Lindo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lindo, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.6%) and White (14.7%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lindo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.5% (1,853 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lindo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (48.5%), Hispanic (24.6%), White (14.7%). 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 Lindo (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 Lindo mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the word "lindo," meaning "beautiful," "handsome," or "cute." 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 Lindo (1.28 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 Lindo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.