Explore the Family Name Sonora

The meaning of Sonora

1. Galician (Soñora): habitational name from any of the two places called Soñora in A Coruña. 2. Hispanic (Mexico): habitational name from Sonora, the name of a state in Mexico, probably named from Spanish Señora, a form of address of the Virgin Mary.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Sonora has shown a significant increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 47,308, but by 2010, its rank had risen to 36,154, showing a change of 23.58%. In terms of count, the numbers went up from 422 in 2000 to 620 in 2010, indicating an increase of 46.92%. The proportion of this surname per 100,000 people also saw a rise from 0.16 in 2000 to 0.21 in 2010, marking a change of 31.25%.

20002010Change
Rank#47,308#36,15423.58%
Count42262046.92%
Proportion per 100k0.160.2131.25%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sonora

The Decennial U.S. Census data reflects changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Sonora between 2000 and 2010. Notably, the largest percentage of people with this surname identified as Hispanic, with the population increasing from 87.68% in 2000 to 90.97% in 2010. However, the White ethnicity showed a decline from 9.24% in 2000 to 7.26% in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander demographic also decreased, going from 1.90% in 2000 to 1.13% in 2010. Data for individuals identifying as two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native was either nonexistent or suppressed for privacy reasons.

20002010Change
Hispanic87.68%90.97%3.75%
White9.24%7.26%-21.43%
Asian/Pacific Islander1.9%1.13%-40.53%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%