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

Amado, 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 Amado surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Amado in America

Amado is the 8896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Amado surname appeared 3,680 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Amado.

We can also compare 2010 data for Amado 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 Amado

The surname Amado originated in Portugal, likely derived from the Portuguese word "amado," meaning "beloved" or "loved." This name traces its roots back to the 13th century, a time when surnames were becoming more common in Europe.

Amado is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were highly regarded or beloved within their communities. It may have also been bestowed upon children who were particularly cherished or loved by their parents.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Amado can be found in the Portuguese royal archives from the 14th century. These records mention a nobleman named João Amado, who served as a courtier during the reign of King Afonso IV (1325-1357).

In the 15th century, the surname Amado appeared in various historical documents across Portugal, including land records and legal documents. For instance, a merchant named Pedro Amado was mentioned in a trade agreement from 1478 in the city of Porto.

During the Age of Exploration, the name Amado spread beyond Portugal as Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to different parts of the world. Notable individuals with this surname include Fernão Amado, a Portuguese explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in 1498.

In the 16th century, the Amado surname was found in regions of Brazil, which was a Portuguese colony at the time. One of the earliest recorded Amados in Brazil was Antônio Amado, a landowner and farmer who settled in the state of Bahia in the mid-1500s.

Throughout the centuries, the Amado surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, and politicians. Some notable figures with this surname include:

1. Jorge Amado (1912-2001), a renowned Brazilian novelist and one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.
2. João Amado (1898-1962), a Portuguese poet and writer who was a prominent figure in the Modernist literary movement.
3. Luis Amado (1920-2005), a Mexican actor and director who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career.
4. Manuel Amado (1913-1994), a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker and represented his country in the 1938 FIFA World Cup.
5. Antônio Amado (1687-1756), a Brazilian architect and engineer who designed several important buildings and structures in the city of Salvador.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Amado

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

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

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

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