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

Alcantar, 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 Alcantar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alcantar in America

Alcantar is the 2794th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alcantar surname appeared 12,919 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Alcantar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alcantar 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 Alcantar

The surname Alcantar has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "al-qantar," which refers to a bridge or archway. This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived near or worked on bridges or archways during the Moorish rule in parts of Spain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Alcantar surname can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a manuscript from the 14th century that documents hunting grounds and landowners in medieval Spain. In this text, there are references to individuals with variations of the surname, such as Alcantar and Alcanatara.

The Alcantar surname is also connected to several place names in Spain, including Alcántara, a municipality in the province of Cáceres, and Alcantarilla, a town in the region of Murcia. These place names likely originated from the Arabic term "al-qantar," further reinforcing the surname's Arabic roots.

Throughout history, there have been notable individuals bearing the Alcantar surname. One example is Pedro de Alcantar (1499-1562), a Spanish Franciscan friar and mystic who was later canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Another prominent figure was Mateo de Alcantar (1537-1615), a Spanish soldier and conquistador who participated in the conquest of the Philippines.

In the 16th century, records show that the Alcantar surname was present in various regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Extremadura, and Castile. During this period, individuals with the surname held positions of importance, such as landowners, military officers, and members of the clergy.

Other notable individuals with the Alcantar surname include Juan de Alcantar (1551-1621), a Spanish painter and sculptor known for his works in churches and monasteries, and Diego de Alcantar (1590-1662), a Spanish military engineer who designed fortifications and defensive structures in various parts of Spain and its colonies.

It is worth noting that the surname Alcantar has also been found in other Spanish-speaking countries, likely due to the spread of Spanish influence and migration patterns throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alcantar

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

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

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

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