Explore the Family Name Magalhaes

The meaning of Magalhaes

Portuguese and Galician (Magalhães): habitational name from any of various places called Magalhães. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Carlos, Fernando, Armando, Domingos, Helio, Mario, Sergio, Adriana, Alvaro, Ana. Portuguese Joao, Joaquim, Paulo.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Magalhaes in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Magalhaes has seen a significant increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 30,352nd most popular surname, but by 2010 it had climbed to the 22,880th spot, marking a change of 24.62%. The number of individuals bearing this surname also rose during this period, with the count increasing by approximately 53.92% from 727 to 1,119. As a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of this name increased by 40.74%.

20002010Change
Rank#30,352#22,88024.62%
Count7271,11953.92%
Proportion per 100k0.270.3840.74%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Magalhaes

Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Magalhaes, the Decennial U.S. Census data provides some interesting insights. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (78.95%), with smaller portions identifying as Two or More Races (12.65%) and Hispanic (5.36%) among others. By 2010, there were notable changes: the proportion of individuals identifying as White increased to 88.92%, while the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic decreased to 3.66%. There was also a new appearance of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (2.14%). Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals who identify as Black more than doubled from 2.06% to 4.20% over the same period.

20002010Change
White78.95%88.92%12.63%
Black2.06%4.2%103.88%
Hispanic5.36%3.66%-31.72%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%2.14%0%
Two or More Races12.65%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%