2000
#101,654
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 164
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Mandela
A surname of Xhosa origin meaning "the higher counsellor or advisor".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 217 Americans carry the last name Mandela. That puts it at #101,718 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,579,513 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mandela 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
217
1 in 1,579,513
Census rank
#101,718
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
189
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 189 bearers of the surname Mandela in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 101718th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mandela, the largest self-reported group is White at 38.6%. The next largest groups are Black (33.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mandela
The surname MANDELA has its origins in South Africa and is derived from the Xhosa language, one of the official languages of the country. It is believed to have originated in the Eastern Cape region, where the Xhosa people have historically resided.
The name MANDELA is thought to be a combination of two Xhosa words, "manda" meaning "to be strong" or "to be powerful," and "ela," which refers to a specific clan or family group. This suggests that the surname may have been initially used to identify individuals from a powerful or influential clan or family within the Xhosa community.
Historical records and manuscripts from the 18th and 19th centuries in South Africa mention individuals bearing the surname MANDELA, indicating its long-standing presence among the Xhosa people. Some of the earliest recorded examples include Nkosi Mandela, a prominent Xhosa chief in the late 18th century, and Ngqika Mandela, a Xhosa leader who played a significant role in the Xhosa Wars against colonial forces in the early 19th century.
The name MANDELA gained global recognition in the 20th century with the life and legacy of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918-2013), the former President of South Africa and a renowned anti-apartheid activist. His struggle against racial segregation and his efforts towards reconciliation and democracy in South Africa have made him one of the most influential and iconic figures in modern history.
Other notable individuals with the surname MANDELA include:
1. Zindziswa Mandela (1960-2003), the daughter of Nelson Mandela and a renowned activist in her own right, who fought for women's rights and HIV/AIDS awareness.
2. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (1936-2018), the former wife of Nelson Mandela and a prominent anti-apartheid activist who played a significant role in the struggle for freedom in South Africa.
3. Makgatho Mandela (1925-2005), the eldest son of Nelson Mandela and a traditional leader of the Thembu people in the Eastern Cape region.
4. Lili Mandela (1927-2001), Nelson Mandela's younger sister, who was also involved in the anti-apartheid movement and helped preserve the family's history and traditions.
5. Makaziwe Mandela (born 1954), the eldest daughter of Nelson Mandela and a prominent advocate for women's rights and social issues in South Africa.
While the surname MANDELA has gained global recognition through its association with Nelson Mandela and his family, it remains deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Xhosa people in South Africa.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mandela
Among Census respondents with the surname Mandela, the largest self-reported group is White at 38.6%. The next largest groups are Black (33.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Mandela 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 Mandela surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White38.6% · 73
- Black or African American33.3% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander13.8% · 26
- Hispanic or Latino10.6% · 20
- Two or more races3.7% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mandela
Mandela 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
#119,508
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
-19 bearers (-11.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 17,854 places
2020
#101,718
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 189
+44 bearers (+30.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 17,790 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #101,654 | 164 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #119,508 | 145 | 0.05 | -19 bearers (-11.6%) | Down 17,854 places |
| 2020 | #101,718 | 189 | 0.06 | +44 bearers (+30.3%) | Up 17,790 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 Mandela 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 | #119,508 | #101,718 | 14.9% |
| Count | 145 | 189 | 30.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 26.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mandela bearers went from 145 to 189 (+30.3% change). The surname moved up 17,790 positions in the national ranking, going from #119,508 to #101,718.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mandela
FAQ
Mandela surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mandela?
Name Census estimates that about 217 living Americans carry the surname Mandela. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,579,513 residents.
How common is Mandela?
Mandela ranks #101,718 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 189 people with the surname Mandela. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (217), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Mandela.
Has Mandela become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mandela went from 145 recorded bearers to 189. That is an increase of 44 (+30.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #119,508 to #101,718.
What does the Census say about the background of Mandela?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mandela, the largest self-reported group is White at 38.6%. The next largest groups are Black (33.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mandela in the 2020 Census, accounting for 38.6% (73 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mandela appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (38.6%), Black (33.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (13.8%). 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 Mandela (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 Mandela mean?
A surname of Xhosa origin meaning "the higher counsellor or advisor". 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 Mandela (0.06 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 Mandela?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.