Find out how popular the last name Abara is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Abara.

Abara, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Abara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Abara in America

Abara is the 97671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Abara surname appeared 186 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Abara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Abara to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Abara

The surname Abara originated in the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Basque word "abara," meaning "valley" or "glen," suggesting that the name may have been a topographic surname given to someone who lived in or near a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Abara can be found in the Cartulary of San Millán de la Cogolla, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain, dating back to the 10th century. The name appears in various forms, such as "Avara" and "Abaria," indicating the fluidity of spelling in those times.

In the 12th century, the name Abara was mentioned in the Becerro Galicano, a medieval manuscript that records the properties and possessions of the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla. This document provides valuable information about the distribution of the name in the region during that time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Abara was Juan de Abara, a Basque soldier who fought in the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. He participated in the expedition led by Hernán Cortés and played a role in the fall of the Aztec Empire.

Another historical figure with the Abara surname was Pedro de Abara, a 17th-century Spanish navigator and explorer. He is known for his involvement in the exploration of the Pacific Ocean and the discovery of several islands in the Marquesas archipelago.

In the 18th century, Ignacio Abara was a renowned Basque architect who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in northern Spain, including churches and municipal structures.

During the 19th century, María Abara was a prominent figure in the Basque cultural revival movement. She dedicated her life to preserving and promoting the Basque language, traditions, and heritage.

Lastly, in the early 20th century, José Abara was a Spanish military officer who fought in the Rif War, a conflict between Spain and the Rif rebels in northern Morocco from 1920 to 1926.

While the surname Abara has its roots in the Basque region, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. Despite its relatively low frequency compared to other surnames, it remains an important part of the rich tapestry of Basque heritage and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Abara

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Abara.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Abara was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Abara has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Abara was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Abara, please contact us.

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