How Common Is the Last Name Pereira?
An estimated 36,889 people in the United States share the surname Pereira. That's about 1 in 9,292 Americans. This data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau surname frequency tables.
This page covers the Pereira surname's frequency in the U.S. population, its rank among all American surnames, and a breakdown of ancestry and ethnicity data from the Census. You can also check how many people share any first + last name combination involving Pereira.
Estimated Americans with this Surname
36,889
About 1 in 9,292 people in the U.S.
Census Rank
#1,070
Frequency Rate
10.76
per 100,000 people
Census Count
32,169
2020 Census
Data Source
2020
U.S. Census Bureau
Ancestry and Ethnicity for Pereira
The Pereira surname is most commonly associated with people who identify as White (54.15%). The next largest groups are Hispanic (32.06%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.14%).
Self-reported race and ethnicity from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau surname tables. Some categories may be suppressed for privacy when sample sizes are small.
Historical Census Data for Pereira
Pereira appears in 3 published Census surname releases on this site (2000, 2010, 2020). From 2000 to 2020, the raw count became more common and the per-100,000 rate became more common. Its best published rank was #1,070 in 2020.
Between the 2010 and 2020 census releases, the surname Pereira became more common in the United States. Both the raw count and the population-adjusted frequency moved up.
The line to watch most closely is per 100,000 people. That adjusts for overall population growth, so it shows whether Pereira became a bigger or smaller share of the country, not just whether the raw count went up.
Census Count Over Time
Raw Census count in each published surname release.
22,921 to 32,169
Per 100,000 Over Time
Population-adjusted frequency, which is usually the cleaner trend line.
8.50 to 10.76
Release-by-release summary
Each row is a published Census surname table for Pereira. The change column compares each release to the one before it.
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Change vs prior release | Largest recorded group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,428 | 22,921 | 8.50 | Baseline release | White (59.74%) |
| 2010 | #1,175 | 29,898 | 10.14 |
Count 26.42%
Rate 17.60% | White (57.92%) |
| 2020 Latest | #1,070 | 32,169 | 10.76 |
Count 7.32%
Rate 5.96% | White (54.15%) |
If the raw count rose but the per-100,000 number fell, the surname still became less common relative to the size of the U.S. population. That is why the frequency rate usually tells the clearer story.
Recorded ancestry change
These percentages show how the Census profile for this surname shifted across the published surveys on this site.
| Ancestry | 2020 | 2010 | 2000 | Change Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 54.15% | 57.92% | 59.74% | -9.82% |
| Black | 4.66% | 4.09% | 1.97% | 81.20% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 6.14% | 4.97% | 4.17% | 38.16% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.19% | 0.26% | 0.18% | 3.56% |
| Two or More Races | 2.81% | 1.82% | 7.26% | -88.47% |
| Hispanic | 32.06% | 30.93% | 26.67% | 18.35% |
These percentages come from self-reported Census data. They describe how the recorded makeup of people using the surname Pereira changed from 2000 through 2020, not the deeper family origin of every bearer of the name.
First Name + Pereira Combinations
How many people share a full name with Pereira as the last name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Pereira Surname: Questions and Answers
How common is the last name Pereira?
Pereira is the #1,070 most common surname in the United States, with an estimated 36,889 people sharing this last name. It appears at a rate of 10.76 per 100,000 Americans.
Has the surname Pereira become more or less common over time?
In the published Census surname tables on this site, Pereira moved from 22,921 people in 2000 to 32,169 in 2020. The more important line is the population-adjusted rate, which changed from 8.50 to 10.76 per 100,000.
Why can the raw count go up while the rate per 100,000 goes down?
Because the total U.S. population can grow faster than the surname itself. A surname can have more people in absolute numbers but still make up a smaller share of the country, which is why the per-100,000 figure often tells the clearer story.
What does the ancestry change table show for Pereira?
It compares the published Census demographic mix for Pereira across releases on this page. That helps you see whether the recorded share of the surname shifted between groups over time, but it still does not tell the full family history of every person with the name.
What does 10.76 per 100,000 mean?
It means that if you picked 100,000 people in the United States at random, about 10.76 of them would have the surname Pereira. This is usually the clearest way to compare surnames because it adjusts for the size of the total population.
What ethnicity is the surname Pereira?
The Pereira surname is most commonly associated with people who identify as White (54.15%). The next largest groups are Hispanic (32.06%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.14%). This data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau surname tables, which include self-reported race and ethnicity breakdowns.
Does the ancestry table tell the exact family origin of everyone named Pereira?
No. It shows how people with the surname Pereira identified in the Census. That is useful context, but it does not prove the deeper family history, nationality, or origin story of every person with the name.
How many people named [First Name] Pereira are there?
We can estimate any first + last name combination. Popular examples: Michael Pereira, James Pereira, John Pereira. Search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this surname data come from?
Surname frequency data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau decennial surname tables. These list every surname appearing in the Census along with frequency rates and demographic breakdowns. Full methodology.
Search for a full name combination
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