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

Alvanez, 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 Alvanez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alvanez in America

Alvanez is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alvanez surname appeared 150 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 Alvanez.

The history of the last name Alvanez

The surname ALVANEZ originated in Spain, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "alvano," which means "light-colored" or "whitish." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a fair complexion.

The name ALVANEZ is most commonly associated with the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura in southern Spain. Some historical records indicate that it may have been particularly prevalent in the town of Alvanez, located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. This town likely took its name from the surname, rather than the other way around.

One of the earliest documented references to the ALVANEZ surname can be found in the Libro de las Behetrías, a medieval census-like record compiled in the 14th century during the reign of King Pedro I of Castile. The document lists several individuals with the surname ALVANEZ, indicating that the name was already well-established by that time.

In the 15th century, a nobleman named Juan Alvanez de Guzman was a prominent figure in the court of King Juan II of Castile. He served as a royal advisor and played a significant role in the political affairs of the kingdom.

During the 16th century, a Spanish explorer named Pedro Alvanez de Hinojosa led an expedition to the region now known as Texas, establishing one of the earliest European settlements in the area.

In the 17th century, a renowned Spanish painter named Diego Alvanez de Velasco gained recognition for his religious artwork, particularly his depictions of scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.

Another notable individual with the ALVANEZ surname was María Alvanez de Espinosa, a 17th-century Spanish writer and poet who was part of the literary circles of her time.

While the ALVANEZ surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonization and migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alvanez

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

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

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

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