2000
#1,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 27,571
First available Census row
Per 100,000 10.22
Uncommon Last name
Magana
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone from Magaña, a town in the province of Soria, Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 42,813 Americans carry the last name Magana. That puts it at #922 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 12.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,006 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Magana 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
43K
1 in 8,006
Census rank
#922
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
12.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
37K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 37,335 bearers of the surname Magana in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 12.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 922nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Magana, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Magana
The surname Magana originated from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically from the regions of Spain and Portugal, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "maganar," which means "to acquire or to gain." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was successful in acquiring wealth or property.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Magana can be found in the Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla, a historical document that dates back to the 13th century. This record contains the names of individuals who were granted lands and properties in the city of Seville after it was conquered by the Christians in 1248.
In the 14th century, the name Magana appeared in the Catastro de Ensenada, a census-like document that recorded the population and economic activities of various regions in Spain. This suggests that the surname was well-established and widely distributed throughout the country during that time.
One notable individual with the surname Magana was Juan Magana, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in the early 16th century. Magana played a significant role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and was rewarded with land grants in the newly conquered territories.
Another prominent figure was Gaspar de Magana, a Spanish military commander who served under King Philip II in the late 16th century. He participated in several campaigns against the Ottoman Empire and was renowned for his bravery and strategic skills.
In the 17th century, the surname Magana was associated with the town of Maganar, located in the province of Zamora, Spain. This town may have served as the origin or inspiration for the surname, as it was a common practice to derive surnames from place names during that era.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname Magana was José Magana y Campuzano, a Spanish painter and engraver who lived in the late 18th century. His works were highly regarded, and he was known for his intricate engravings and portraits.
In the 19th century, the surname Magana spread to other parts of the world, including the Americas, due to Spanish colonization and migration. Notable individuals from this period include Mariano Magana, a Chilean politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Chilean Congress in the mid-1800s.
Throughout history, the surname Magana has been associated with various influential individuals, reflecting its deep roots in the Iberian Peninsula and its subsequent spread to other regions as a result of Spanish exploration and colonization.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Magana
Among Census respondents with the surname Magana, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Magana 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 Magana surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino94.7% · 35,357
- White3.8% · 1,415
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 286
- Black or African American0.3% · 110
- Two or more races0.3% · 100
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 67
Timeline
Historical Census data for Magana
Magana 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
#888
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 39,105
+11,534 bearers (+41.8%)
Per 100,000 13.26
Rank movement Up 278 places
2020
#922
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 37,335
-1,770 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 12.49
Rank movement Down 34 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,166 | 27,571 | 10.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #888 | 39,105 | 13.26 | +11,534 bearers (+41.8%) | Up 278 places |
| 2020 | #922 | 37,335 | 12.49 | -1,770 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 34 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 Magana 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 | #888 | #922 | -3.8% |
| Count | 39,105 | 37,335 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 13.26 | 12.49 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Magana bearers went from 39,105 to 37,335 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 34 positions in the national ranking, going from #888 to #922.
FAQ
Magana surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Magana?
Name Census estimates that about 42,813 living Americans carry the surname Magana. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 8,006 residents.
How common is Magana?
Magana ranks #922 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 12.49 per 100,000 residents, which is about 12 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 37,335 people with the surname Magana. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (42,813), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 12.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 12.49 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 12 of them to have the surname Magana.
Has Magana become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Magana went from 39,105 recorded bearers to 37,335. That is a decrease of 1,770 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #888 to #922.
What does the Census say about the background of Magana?
Among Census respondents with the surname Magana, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 94.7%. The next largest groups are White (3.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Magana in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (35,357 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Magana appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (94.7%), White (3.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Magana (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 Magana mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone from Magaña, a town in the province of Soria, 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 Magana (12.49 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 Magana?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Magana? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.