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

Alvira, 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 Alvira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alvira in America

Alvira is the 31554th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alvira surname appeared 733 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 Alvira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alvira 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 Alvira

The surname Alvira is believed to have originated in Spain, with its roots dating back to the medieval era. It is thought to be derived from the Arabic name "Alwira," which means "rose" or "flower." The name likely emerged during the period of Moorish rule in the Iberian Peninsula, which lasted from the 8th to the 15th centuries.

During this time, the name Alvira was primarily concentrated in the regions of Andalusia and Valencia, where the Moorish influence was particularly strong. It is possible that the name was initially borne by individuals of Arabic descent or those who had converted to Islam during the Moorish occupation.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Alvira can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries, when it appeared in various legal documents and property records in the regions of Seville and Granada. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Juan Alvira, a landowner from Seville who lived in the late 13th century, and Maria Alvira, a noblewoman from Granada who was mentioned in a royal decree in the mid-14th century.

As the name spread across Spain and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Alvira, Alviras, and Alviraz. It is also possible that the name is related to the Spanish village of Alviria, located in the province of Guadalajara, which may have served as a place of origin for some families bearing the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Alvira. One such figure was Pedro Alvira, a celebrated painter from Valencia who lived during the 16th century and was known for his religious works adorning churches throughout the region. Another notable bearer of the name was Juana Alvira, a renowned poet and scholar from Seville who lived in the 17th century and was celebrated for her contributions to Spanish literature.

In the 19th century, the Alvira name gained prominence with the birth of Manuel Alvira y Gonzalez (1808-1887), a prominent Spanish politician and statesman who served as a member of the Cortes Generales (the Spanish parliament) and held various ministerial positions. Additionally, Enrique Alvira y Pardo (1867-1932), a distinguished military officer and diplomat, played a significant role in Spanish colonial affairs in Africa.

The surname Alvira has also been carried by individuals beyond Spain's borders, such as José Alvira, a renowned Peruvian artist and sculptor who lived in the early 20th century and was celebrated for his works depicting indigenous themes and cultural traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alvira

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

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

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

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