2000
#8,134
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,754
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.39
Rare Last name
Ruano
A Spanish and Italian surname derived from the Germanic word "Rodo," meaning "famous wolf" or "famous counsel."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,399 Americans carry the last name Ruano. That puts it at #5,942 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.87 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 53,564 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ruano 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
6.4K
1 in 53,564
Census rank
#5,942
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,580 bearers of the surname Ruano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.87 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5942nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ruano
The surname Ruano has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "ruan," which means "wheel." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked with wheels, such as a wheelwright or a carriage maker.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ruano can be found in the Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and properties in Seville after the Christian conquest of the city. Several individuals with the surname Ruano are mentioned in this document, indicating that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.
During the 15th century, the Ruano family was prominent in the city of Seville, with several members holding important positions in the local government and clergy. One notable figure was Diego Ruano, who served as the Bishop of Seville from 1465 to 1478.
In the 16th century, the Ruano surname gained further prominence with the birth of Juan Ruano (1533-1599), a Spanish physician and scholar who made significant contributions to the field of medicine. His treatise on the preservation of health, titled "Regimen Sanitatis," was widely influential in its time.
Another notable individual with the surname Ruano was Pedro Ruano (1570-1638), a Spanish painter and architect who worked in the Baroque style. He was responsible for several notable architectural works in Seville, including the Church of Santa María la Blanca.
In the 19th century, the Ruano surname was also found in Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Central America. One prominent figure was José Ruano Garrido (1813-1890), a Honduran politician and military leader who served as the President of Honduras from 1876 to 1883.
Throughout its history, the surname Ruano has been associated with various trades, professions, and occupations, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore the name. While its exact origins are not definitively known, the name's connection to the word "wheel" suggests a connection to the world of transportation and craftsmanship.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ruano
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ruano 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 Ruano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.9% · 5,186
- White5.5% · 305
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 53
- Two or more races0.3% · 18
- Black or African American0.3% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ruano
Ruano 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
#6,240
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,478
+1,724 bearers (+45.9%)
Per 100,000 1.86
Rank movement Up 1,894 places
2020
#5,942
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,580
+102 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 1.87
Rank movement Up 298 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,134 | 3,754 | 1.39 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,240 | 5,478 | 1.86 | +1,724 bearers (+45.9%) | Up 1,894 places |
| 2020 | #5,942 | 5,580 | 1.87 | +102 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 298 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 Ruano 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 | #6,240 | #5,942 | 4.8% |
| Count | 5,478 | 5,580 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.86 | 1.87 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ruano bearers went from 5,478 to 5,580 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 298 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,240 to #5,942.
FAQ
Ruano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ruano?
Name Census estimates that about 6,399 living Americans carry the surname Ruano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 53,564 residents.
How common is Ruano?
Ruano ranks #5,942 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.87 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,580 people with the surname Ruano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,399), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.87 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.87 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Ruano.
Has Ruano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ruano went from 5,478 recorded bearers to 5,580. That is an increase of 102 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,240 to #5,942.
What does the Census say about the background of Ruano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Ruano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (5,186 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ruano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.9%), White (5.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Ruano (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 Ruano mean?
A Spanish and Italian surname derived from the Germanic word "Rodo," meaning "famous wolf" or "famous counsel." 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 Ruano (1.87 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 are called Ruano?
You can see how many people have the last name Ruano on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.