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

Alarcón, 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 Alarcón surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alarcón in America

Alarcón is the 1917th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alarcón surname appeared 18,805 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Alarcón.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alarcón 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 Alarcón

The surname Alarcon has its origins in Spain. It is derived from the Arabic words "al-arq" meaning "the sweat" or "perspiration," and later evolved into the Spanish word "alarcon," which referred to a small stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Alarcon date back to the 13th century in the region of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It appears in several historical records and manuscripts from that period, particularly in the areas around the city of Cuenca.

One notable historical reference to the name Alarcon is found in the "Cantar de Mio Cid" (The Poem of the Cid), a 12th-century epic poem that chronicles the life of the Castilian hero El Cid. The poem mentions the town of Alarcon, which may have been named after an individual with this surname.

In the 15th century, the Alarcon family played a significant role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle between Christian and Muslim forces for control of the Iberian Peninsula. Juan Ruiz de Alarcon (1581-1639) was a celebrated Spanish playwright and author during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

Another notable figure with this surname was Hernando de Alarcon (c. 1500-1541), a Spanish explorer who led an expedition to find the legendary Seven Cities of Gold in present-day New Mexico and Arizona.

Don Pedro Antonio de Alarcon (1833-1891) was a renowned Spanish novelist, playwright, and journalist. He is considered one of the most important writers of the 19th century in Spain.

Juan Ruiz de Alarcon y Mendoza (1581-1639) was a Mexican-born Spanish dramatist and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of the Spanish Golden Age theater.

Fabian de Alarcon y Covarrubias (1590-1667) was a Spanish painter and engraver who worked in the Baroque style and is known for his religious paintings and engravings.

These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have carried the surname Alarcon, which has its roots in the Spanish language and culture, and can be traced back to the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alarcón

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

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

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

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