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

Álvarez, 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 Álvarez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Álvarez in America

Álvarez is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Álvarez surname appeared 107 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 Álvarez.

The history of the last name Álvarez

The surname Alvarez originated in Spain and is of Spanish origin. It is derived from the personal name Álvaro, which comes from the Germanic name Alvar, meaning "elf warrior" or "elf army". The name Álvaro was brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Visigoths during their rule in the region from the 5th to the 8th centuries.

Alvarez is a patronymic surname, meaning that it was formed by adding the Spanish patronymic suffix "-ez" to the name Álvaro. This was a common practice in medieval Spain, where surnames were often created by adding a suffix to the father's given name.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Alvarez date back to the 11th century in various regions of Spain, such as Galicia, Asturias, and Castile. The name is also found in some of the oldest Spanish records, including the Libro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a medieval census of landholders in Castile, dating from the 14th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Alvarez was Fernán Álvarez de Toledo, a 13th-century Spanish nobleman and military leader who fought in the Reconquista against the Moors. Another notable figure was Juan Álvarez Gato, a 15th-century Spanish poet and politician who served as the mayor of Madrid.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Alvarez surname gained prominence in Spanish literature and art. Francisco Álvarez de Velasco was a 16th-century Spanish playwright and poet, while Diego Álvarez de Villamil was a 17th-century Spanish painter known for his religious works.

In more recent history, the surname Alvarez has been associated with several influential figures, including Alvaro Alvarez Quintero (1888-1936) and Serafin Alvarez Quintero (1871-1938), Spanish playwrights and authors who were known for their theatrical works depicting Spanish life and culture.

Alvarez is a widespread surname in Spain and Latin America, particularly in Mexico, where it is one of the most common surnames. It has also been carried to other parts of the world by Spanish and Latin American immigrants, making it a globally recognized surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Álvarez

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

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 Álvarez 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.

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

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

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