Explore the Family Name Noronha

The meaning of Noronha

Portuguese: from Spanish Noroña (see Norona). This surname is common in the former Portuguese colony of Goa and elsewhere in western India, where it was taken by Portuguese colonists. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Carlos, Augusto, Jose, Adelio, Alda, Alfredo, Fernando, Frederico, Luis, Manuel, Mauricio, Santana. Portuguese Guilherme, Joaquim. Indian Anil, Arun, Priya, Roshni, Sunita.

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

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

According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Noronha has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 52,403 in terms of prevalence but jumped to 40,082 by 2010, reflecting a rise of 23.51%. The count of individuals with this last name also grew notably, from 372 to 547 people in just ten years, marking an impressive growth of 47.04%. As a result, the proportion of individuals named Noronha per 100,000 people also increased by 35.71% during the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#52,403#40,08223.51%
Count37254747.04%
Proportion per 100k0.140.1935.71%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Noronha

When examining the ethnicity distribution of the Noronha surname based on the Decennial U.S. Census, most of the holders of this name identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This sector saw a 7.51% increase between 2000 (56.45%) and 2010 (60.69%). However, the number of those identifying with two or more races decreased significantly by 36.93%, going from 11.02% in 2000 to 6.95% in 2010. There was a slight decrease (-2.36%) in those who identify as White, while the Hispanic population saw a drop of 31.86%. No change was visible within the Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native communities, as they remained at 0% for both years.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander56.45%60.69%7.51%
White27.15%26.51%-2.36%
Two or More Races11.02%6.95%-36.93%
Hispanic4.3%2.93%-31.86%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%