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

Alcanta, 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 Alcanta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alcanta in America

Alcanta is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alcanta surname appeared 125 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 Alcanta.

The history of the last name Alcanta

The surname ALCANTA has its origins in Spain, with the earliest records of the name dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "alcantara," which refers to a type of bridge or aqueduct. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with someone who lived near or was responsible for maintaining such a structure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a document from the city of Seville, dated 1387, which mentions a certain Pedro Alcanta, a stonemason. It is possible that this individual or his ancestors may have been involved in the construction or maintenance of bridges or aqueducts in the region.

Another notable early record is a reference to a Juan de Alcanta in a land registry from the town of Cordoba, dated 1412. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of Andalusia by the early 15th century.

The name Alcanta also appears in several historical manuscripts and chronicles from the 15th and 16th centuries, indicating that it was not an uncommon name during this period. One such reference is found in a text by the historian Prudencio de Sandoval, who mentions a soldier named Diego Alcanta who fought in the wars against the Moors in Granada in the late 15th century.

Among the more famous individuals with the surname Alcanta throughout history are:

1. Fray Juan de Alcanta (1499-1569), a Spanish friar and mystic who was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1622.
2. Alonso de Alcanta (c. 1520-1588), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the expeditions of Francisco Pizarro and the conquest of Peru.
3. Luisa de Alcanta (1584-1646), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Seville.
4. Pedro de Alcanta Herrera (1571-1648), a Spanish poet and playwright active during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
5. Mariano Alcanta (1785-1853), a Venezuelan military leader who played a prominent role in the Venezuelan War of Independence against Spanish rule.

While the name Alcanta is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Spain's rich historical and cultural heritage, with its roots stretching back to the late medieval period and the era of the Reconquista.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alcanta

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

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

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

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