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

Aportela, 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 Aportela surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aportela in America

Aportela is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aportela surname appeared 134 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 Aportela.

The history of the last name Aportela

The surname Aportela is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the region of Galicia, located in northwestern Spain. The name is derived from the Galician-Portuguese word "portela," which refers to a small mountain pass or gateway.

Historically, the Aportela surname can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was commonly used to identify individuals who lived near or owned land near these mountain passes or gateways. These strategic locations were often fortified and played a crucial role in the control of trade routes and the movement of people and goods.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Aportela surname can be found in the Tombo de Celanova, a medieval cartulary compiled in the 12th century by the Monastery of Celanova in Galicia. This document contains references to individuals with the surname Aportela, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In the 13th century, the Aportela surname appears in the Tumbo Viejo de Lugo, an ancient cartulary from the Cathedral of Lugo, also located in Galicia. This record provides valuable insight into the geographical distribution and prominence of the Aportela family in the area.

One notable figure in history with the Aportela surname was Pedro Aportela, a Galician nobleman who lived in the 14th century and served as a councillor to King Pedro I of Castile (1334-1369).

In the 16th century, Juan Aportela was a renowned Galician physician and author, recognized for his contributions to the field of medicine and his published works on various medical topics.

During the 17th century, the Aportela surname gained recognition with the exploits of Diego Aportela, a Spanish military officer who participated in the conquest of Chile and played a significant role in the colonization efforts in South America.

Another notable individual with the Aportela surname was María Aportela, a Galician writer and poet who lived in the 19th century and was celebrated for her contributions to the literary and cultural revival of the Galician language and literature.

Throughout history, the Aportela surname has been associated with various place names and locations, such as Portela de Aguiar, Portela de Arcos, and Portela de Homem, all of which are small towns or villages in the Galician region of Spain.

While the Aportela surname has its roots firmly planted in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, as a result of Spanish colonization and migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aportela

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

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

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

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