Explore the Family Name Santa
The meaning of Santa
1. Spanish and Portuguese: nickname from santa ‘(female) saint’, or a habitational name from any of various minor places called Santa, or a topographic name denoting someone who lived near a sanctuary. Compare Spanish Lasanta. 2. Hungarian (Sánta): descriptive nickname for a disabled person, from sánta ‘lame’. 3. Serbian, Croatian, Slovak, Czech, and Rusyn (from Vojvodina in Serbia and from Slovakia) (Šanta): from a Slavicized form of the Hungarian vocabulary word sánta ‘lame’ or of the surname Sánta (see 2 above). Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Luis, Gerardo, Juan, Roberto, Aida, Alberto, Alicia, Angelina, Blanca, Carlos, Cesar.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Santa in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Santa has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of the surname Santa ascended from 13,522 in 2000 to 11,493 in 2010, marking a growth of 15.01%. Similarly, the number of individuals bearing the surname also saw an uptick by 32.85%, from 2,061 in 2000 to 2,738 in 2010. The proportion per 100k people also rose from 0.76 to 0.93, indicating a 22.37% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,522 | #11,493 | 15.01% |
| Count | 2,061 | 2,738 | 32.85% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.76 | 0.93 | 22.37% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Santa
As for ethnic identity associated with the surname Santa, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting changes over the decade from 2000 to 2010. The percentage of this surname's bearers who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander experienced a remarkable increase, going up by 152.74% from 1.46% to 3.69%. On the other hand, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native dropped by half, while the percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races also decreased by 34.82%. The proportion of people identifying as White with the surname Santa fell slightly by 9.15%. However, those identifying as Hispanic and Black saw increases of 5.27% and 6.28% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 48.23% | 50.77% | 5.27% |
| White | 46.43% | 42.18% | -9.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.46% | 3.69% | 152.74% |
| Black | 2.23% | 2.37% | 6.28% |
| Two or More Races | 1.12% | 0.73% | -34.82% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.53% | 0.26% | -50.94% |