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

Aguilar, 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 Aguilar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aguilar in America

Aguilar is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aguilar surname appeared 127 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 Aguilar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Aguilar 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 Aguilar

The surname Aguelar is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. The name is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "agüela," which translates to "grandmother" or "ancestress," suggesting a connection to familial lineage or matrilineal descent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the thirteenth century, when it appeared in various documents and records from the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura in southern Spain. Historians speculate that the name may have originated from a specific place name or village, although the exact location remains uncertain.

During the era of the Reconquista, when Christian kingdoms gradually reclaimed territories from Moorish rule, the Aguelar name gained prominence among noble families and landed gentry. Some historical accounts mention individuals bearing the Aguelar surname who participated in military campaigns and played roles in the governance of newly liberated territories.

Notable figures with the Aguelar surname include Don Alonso de Aguelar, a knight who served under King Alfonso VIII of Castile in the late twelfth century. Records also indicate the existence of a Doña Beatriz de Aguelar, a noblewoman and landowner in the region of Extremadura during the fourteenth century.

In the fifteenth century, the name appears in various manuscripts and chronicles related to the Spanish conquest of the Canary Islands. One such figure is Juan de Aguelar, a navigator and explorer who accompanied Juan Rejón in the conquest of La Palma in 1493.

As the Spanish Empire expanded its territories across the Atlantic, the Aguelar surname found its way to the Americas. One notable individual was Diego de Aguelar, a conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early sixteenth century.

Throughout the centuries, the Aguelar surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Aguilar, Aguelar, and Agüelar, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and linguistic changes over time. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its distinct Spanish heritage and continues to be associated with its historical roots in the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aguilar

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

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

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

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