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

Africano, 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 Africano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Africano in America

Africano is the 67747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Africano surname appeared 291 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 Africano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Africano 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 Africano

The surname AFRICANO is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal, during the medieval era. It is derived from the Latin word "Africanus," which means "African" or "of African origin." This suggests that the name was likely given to individuals who had connections to Africa, such as traders, merchants, or those who had traveled or resided in African territories.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the AFRICANO surname can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document mentions a certain "Juan Africano," who was a nobleman and falconer in the king's court.

During the 15th century, the AFRICANO name gained prominence in Portugal, where it was associated with the Portuguese explorers and navigators who played a crucial role in the Age of Discovery. One notable figure was João Africano (born around 1470), a Portuguese navigator and explorer who is credited with being the first European to sight the coast of modern-day South Africa.

In the 16th century, the AFRICANO surname appeared in various historical records across Spain and Portugal. One notable individual was Diego Africano (c. 1530-1596), a Spanish soldier and adventurer who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands and later served as a military commander in the Spanish colonies in the Americas.

Another prominent figure was Gaspar Africano (c. 1550-1619), a Portuguese painter and architect who worked on several notable projects, including the renovation of the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.

The AFRICANO surname also has connections to place names in the Iberian Peninsula. For example, there is a town called Africano in the province of Málaga, Spain, which may have derived its name from individuals bearing the AFRICANO surname who settled in the area.

Other notable individuals with the AFRICANO surname include:

1. Cristóbal Africano (c. 1600-1670), a Spanish composer and organist who served at the Royal Chapel in Madrid.
2. Inês Africano (c. 1630-1700), a Portuguese poet and writer who contributed to the development of Portuguese literature during the Baroque period.
3. Manuel Africano (c. 1720-1790), a Spanish painter and engraver known for his religious and mythological works.
4. João Africano (c. 1830-1900), a Portuguese explorer and cartographer who mapped parts of the African continent during the 19th century.
5. Margarida Africano (c. 1880-1960), a Portuguese feminist and activist who advocated for women's rights and education in Portugal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Africano

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

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 Africano 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 Africano 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 Africano was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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