Explore the Family Name Carmen
The meaning of Carmen
1. Spanish: from a short form of the Marian name María del Carmen ‘Mary of Carmel’, a reference to Mount Carmel (meaning ‘garden’ or ‘orchard’) in the Holy Land, which is mentioned in the Bible (1 Kings 18:19; see Carmelo) and was populated from early Christian times by hermits. Compare Del Carmen. 2. Spanish: habitational name from any of various places in Spain named El Carmen, for example in the province of Cuenca. 3. English: variant of Carman.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Carmen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Carmen has seen a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 9973 in terms of popularity, but by 2010 it had moved to rank 10193, marking a small decrease of 2.21%. Despite this drop in rank, the count of individuals bearing the Carmen surname actually increased over this decade, from 2985 to 3161, signifying an increase of 5.9%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people with this surname saw a decrease of 3.6% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,973 | #10,193 | -2.21% |
| Count | 2,985 | 3,161 | 5.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.11 | 1.07 | -3.6% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Carmen
The Decennial U.S. Census data further reveals interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Carmen between 2000 and 2010. Notably, there was a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, from 17.79% to 22.81%, representing a change of 28.22%. The percentage of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity slightly rose by 5.96%, while American Indian and Alaskan Natives experienced a growth rate of 16.24%. On the other hand, the proportion of Black individuals decreased significantly by 19.68%. The percentage of White individuals also fell by 5.80%, while the portion of those claiming two or more races experienced a surge of 18.78%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 68.31% | 64.35% | -5.8% |
| Hispanic | 17.79% | 22.81% | 28.22% |
| Black | 8.74% | 7.02% | -19.68% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.18% | 2.31% | 5.96% |
| Two or More Races | 1.81% | 2.15% | 18.78% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.17% | 1.36% | 16.24% |