2010
#108,199
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 164
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Palmeros
A surname originating from Spanish referring to palm tree farmers or cultivators.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 164 Americans carry the last name Palmeros. That puts it at #125,732 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,089,965 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palmeros 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
164
1 in 2,089,965
Census rank
#125,732
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
143
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 143 bearers of the surname Palmeros in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 125732nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmeros, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palmeros
The surname Palmeros has its roots in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the early medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have originated in the region of Castile, where it may have initially referred to individuals involved in the cultivation or trade of palm trees.
During the 13th century, the name Palmeros appeared in several historical records, including the Libro de la Montería, a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document mentions a place called "Dehesa de los Palmeros" (Meadow of the Palm Growers), providing evidence of the name's association with palm-related activities.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Palmeros can be found in a document from the year 1287, which mentions a certain "García Palmeros" in the city of Seville. This suggests that the name had already spread beyond its initial region of origin by the late 13th century.
In the 15th century, the name Palmeros was associated with a notable figure, Juan Palmeros, who served as a royal advisor to King Juan II of Aragon and Navarre. Born in 1395 in Valencia, Juan Palmeros was a respected scholar and diplomat who played a significant role in the political affairs of his time.
Another prominent individual bearing the surname Palmeros was Hernán Palmeros, a 16th-century explorer and navigator who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to conquer Mexico. Palmeros was part of the crew that sailed from Cuba to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1519, and his accounts provided valuable insights into the early encounters with the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica.
During the 17th century, a branch of the Palmeros family settled in the region of Extremadura, where they became influential landowners and farmers. One notable member of this lineage was Alonso Palmeros, born in 1623, who was known for his innovative agricultural practices and his efforts to improve the cultivation of olives and grapes in the region.
In the 18th century, the name Palmeros gained recognition in the field of arts and literature. Francisco Palmeros, born in 1732 in Seville, was a celebrated poet and playwright whose works were widely acclaimed for their wit and elegance. His comedies and verses were performed in theaters across Spain and influenced the development of the Spanish Golden Age theater.
Throughout its history, the surname Palmeros has maintained its association with agriculture, particularly the cultivation of palm trees and related industries. While it may have evolved and spread to different regions, the name's origins can be traced back to the medieval era in the Spanish territories, where it served as a marker of occupation and regional identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palmeros
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmeros, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Palmeros 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 Palmeros surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino100.0% · 143
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palmeros
Palmeros appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#125,732
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 143
-21 bearers (-12.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 17,533 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #108,199 | 164 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #125,732 | 143 | 0.05 | -21 bearers (-12.8%) | Down 17,533 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 Palmeros 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 | #108,199 | #125,732 | -16.2% |
| Count | 164 | 143 | -12.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -20.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palmeros bearers went from 164 to 143 (-12.8% change). The surname moved down 17,533 positions in the national ranking, going from #108,199 to #125,732.
FAQ
Palmeros surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palmeros?
Name Census estimates that about 164 living Americans carry the surname Palmeros. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,089,965 residents.
How common is Palmeros?
Palmeros ranks #125,732 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 143 people with the surname Palmeros. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (164), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Palmeros.
Has Palmeros become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palmeros went from 164 recorded bearers to 143. That is a decrease of 21 (-12.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #108,199 to #125,732.
What does the Census say about the background of Palmeros?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmeros, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 100.0%. 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 Palmeros in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (143 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palmeros appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (100.0%). 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 Palmeros (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 Palmeros mean?
A surname originating from Spanish referring to palm tree farmers or cultivators. 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 Palmeros (0.05 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 Palmeros?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Palmeros is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.