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

Alvarez, 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 Alvarez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alvarez in America

Alvarez is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alvarez surname appeared 102 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 Alvarez.

The history of the last name Alvarez

The surname ALVERZ has its origins in Spain during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old Spanish word "alvarez" which means "son of Alvaro." Alvaro was a personal name derived from the Germanic name Alvar, meaning "elf warrior."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname ALVERZ date back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, particularly in the areas of Galicia, Asturias, and Castile. One of the earliest documented bearers of the name was Domingo Alvarez, a nobleman who lived in the city of León in the mid-13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname ALVERZ appeared in several historical documents, including the Becerro de las Behetrías, a census-like record of landholdings and privileges in the Kingdom of Castile. One notable figure from this time was Fernán Alvarez de Toledo, a 14th-century Spanish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Reconquista.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname ALVERZ gained prominence as several individuals bearing the name achieved distinction in various fields. One such notable figure was Hernán Alvarez de Almada, a 15th-century Portuguese explorer and navigator who was instrumental in the exploration of the West African coast.

Another prominent bearer of the ALVERZ surname was Pedro Alvarez de Cabral, a 16th-century Portuguese navigator and explorer who is credited with the discovery of Brazil in 1500 while attempting to find a western route to India.

In the 17th century, the ALVERZ surname continued to be associated with notable individuals, including Juan Alvarez de Colmenar, a Spanish historian and author who wrote extensively about the history of the city of Segovia.

Throughout its history, the surname ALVERZ has been linked to various place names and older spellings, such as Alvarez, Alvares, and Alvares. While the surname has been present in many regions of Spain and Portugal, it has also been carried by individuals of Spanish and Portuguese descent to other parts of the world, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alvarez

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

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

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

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