Explore the Family Name Portal
The meaning of Portal
1. Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, southern French, and Jewish (Sephardic): topographic name for someone who lived near the gates of a fortified town, typically the gatekeeper (from a word, Spanish portal, southern French porta(i)l, meaning ‘gate’); or a habitational name from any of the places in Portugal, Galicia, and France named Portal or, in France, Le Portal. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): possibly a shortened form of Portugal. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Pedro, Carlos, Juan, Luis, Amado, Arnoldo, Caridad, Jose, Norberto, Ricardo, Rosa Elena, Tomas. Portuguese Amadeu. Jewish Arie, Ber, Shlomo, Yael, Ziva. French Marcelle, Andre, Jean Luc.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Portal in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Portal' has seen significant growth between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Portal was ranked 27,562 in terms of frequency among all surnames, but by 2010, it had climbed to 23,185 – a positive shift of nearly 16%. Furthermore, the total count of people with this surname increased by almost 34% during this period, from 823 individuals in 2000 to 1,100 in 2010. This trend is also reflected in the proportion of individuals named Portal per 100,000 citizens, which rose by approximately 19% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,562 | #23,185 | 15.88% |
| Count | 823 | 1,100 | 33.66% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.37 | 19.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Portal
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Portal'. In 2000, the majority of Portals identified as Hispanic (62.82%), followed by White (34.39%). By 2010, the percentage of Portals identifying as Hispanic had increased to 75.82%, while those identifying as White fell to 23.0%. The proportion of Portals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased slightly from 0.73% in 2000 to 0.64% in 2010. Interestingly, in 2010, the data was suppressed for those identifying as Black or belonging to two or more races, indicating a privacy concern. There were no recorded instances of Portals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 62.82% | 75.82% | 20.69% |
| White | 34.39% | 23% | -33.12% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.73% | 0.64% | -12.33% |
| Two or More Races | 0.85% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 1.22% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |