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

Apuya, 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 Apuya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Apuya in America

Apuya is the 125282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Apuya surname appeared 137 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 Apuya.

The history of the last name Apuya

The surname Apuya is believed to have originated in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. It is derived from the Visayan word "apuy," which means fire or flame. The name likely referred to someone who worked with fire, such as a blacksmith or metalworker.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Spanish began colonizing the Philippine islands, they recorded many local surnames for the first time. These names were often based on occupations, physical characteristics, or locations. The earliest known record of the surname Apuya dates back to the late 1600s in the central Visayan region of the Philippines.

The name was initially spelled in various ways, such as Apuia, Apoia, or Apoia, reflecting the difficulty of representing the local languages in Spanish orthography. Some variants may also have been influenced by the Spanish word "apoyo," meaning support or assistance.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Apuya was Juan Apuya, a blacksmith who lived in the town of Cebu in the late 17th century. His profession likely contributed to the adoption of the surname, which was later passed down to his descendants.

Another notable figure was Maria Apuya, a respected midwife and healer who lived in the town of Bohol in the early 18th century. Her expertise in traditional medicine and childbirth practices earned her recognition among the local community.

In the 19th century, Francisco Apuya (1842-1916) was a prominent landowner and farmer in the province of Leyte. He was known for his progressive agricultural methods and efforts to improve the lives of his workers.

During the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century, Marcelo Apuya (1863-1897) was a soldier and revolutionary leader who fought for independence. He was killed in battle but is remembered as a patriot and martyr for the cause.

In more recent times, Josefa Apuya (1921-2008) was a renowned artist and sculptor from Cebu. Her works, which often depicted scenes from Philippine culture and history, were widely celebrated and exhibited both locally and internationally.

While the surname Apuya is not among the most common in the Philippines, it continues to be found throughout the country, particularly in the central Visayan islands where it originated. The name's connection to fire and metalworking reflects the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Philippine people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Apuya

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

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

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

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