2000
#1,196
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 26,769
First available Census row
Per 100,000 9.92
Uncommon Last name
Ventura
A toponymic surname referring to someone who came from Ventura, California, or a place with a similar name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 47,250 Americans carry the last name Ventura. That puts it at #819 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 13.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 7,254 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ventura 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 Ventura with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
47K
1 in 7,254
Census rank
#819
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
13.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
41K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 41,204 bearers of the surname Ventura in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 13.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 819th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ventura, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.8%. The next largest groups are White (17.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ventura
The surname Ventura originated in Italy, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Italian word "ventura," which means "luck" or "fortune." This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was considered fortunate or successful in their endeavors.
The name Ventura was particularly prevalent in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, where it was often associated with noble families and landowners. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a document from the city of Perugia in 1197, which mentions a certain "Guglielmo Ventura."
During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the surname Ventura. One of the most prominent was Matteo Ventura, a skilled architect and engineer who lived from 1470 to 1537. He was responsible for the design and construction of several significant buildings in Rome, including the Palazzo della Cancelleria and the Palazzo dei Conservatori.
Another noteworthy individual with the surname Ventura was Giovanni Battista Ventura, a celebrated painter and engraver who lived from 1536 to 1583. His works adorned the churches and palaces of Rome, and he is particularly renowned for his religious paintings and depictions of biblical scenes.
In the 18th century, the name Ventura gained further prominence with the birth of Giovanni Ventura (1746-1822), a renowned Italian mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was a member of the prestigious Accademia dei Lincei.
The surname Ventura also has connections to the New World. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the Americas was Juan Ventura, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in the early 16th century. Ventura played a crucial role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and later settled in the region.
Another notable figure with the surname Ventura was Pedro de Ventura (1492-1567), a Spanish missionary and one of the first Jesuit priests to travel to the Americas. He spent many years evangelizing among the indigenous populations of Mexico and is credited with establishing several missions and churches in the region.
Throughout history, the surname Ventura has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scientists, explorers, and religious figures. While its exact origins may be shrouded in mystery, the name's connection to fortune and success has endured, making it a surname with a rich and fascinating history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ventura
Among Census respondents with the surname Ventura, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.8%. The next largest groups are White (17.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ventura 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 Ventura surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino75.8% · 31,252
- White17.0% · 7,006
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.0% · 2,056
- Two or more races1.1% · 470
- Black or African American0.8% · 315
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 105
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ventura
Ventura 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
#877
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 39,580
+12,811 bearers (+47.9%)
Per 100,000 13.42
Rank movement Up 319 places
2020
#819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 41,204
+1,624 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 13.79
Rank movement Up 58 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,196 | 26,769 | 9.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #877 | 39,580 | 13.42 | +12,811 bearers (+47.9%) | Up 319 places |
| 2020 | #819 | 41,204 | 13.79 | +1,624 bearers (+4.1%) | Up 58 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 Ventura 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 | #877 | #819 | 6.6% |
| Count | 39,580 | 41,204 | 4.1% |
| Per 100K | 13.42 | 13.79 | 2.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ventura bearers went from 39,580 to 41,204 (+4.1% change). The surname moved up 58 positions in the national ranking, going from #877 to #819.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ventura
FAQ
Ventura surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ventura?
Name Census estimates that about 47,250 living Americans carry the surname Ventura. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 7,254 residents.
How common is Ventura?
Ventura ranks #819 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 13.79 per 100,000 residents, which is about 14 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 41,204 people with the surname Ventura. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (47,250), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 13.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 13.79 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 14 of them to have the surname Ventura.
Has Ventura become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ventura went from 39,580 recorded bearers to 41,204. That is an increase of 1,624 (+4.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #877 to #819.
What does the Census say about the background of Ventura?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ventura, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.8%. The next largest groups are White (17.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%). 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 Ventura in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.8% (31,252 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ventura appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (75.8%), White (17.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%). 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 Ventura (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 Ventura mean?
A toponymic surname referring to someone who came from Ventura, California, or a place with a similar name. 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 Ventura (13.79 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 Ventura?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Ventura is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.