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

Arauco, 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 Arauco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arauco in America

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

The Arauco 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 Arauco.

The history of the last name Arauco

The surname Arauco originated in Chile during the 16th century. It is derived from the Mapuche word "arauco", which means "wild" or "untamed". The name is closely associated with the Arauco War, a long-running conflict between the Spanish conquistadors and the Mapuche people that lasted from 1551 to 1658.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Arauco can be found in the historical accounts of the Arauco War. The Spanish chronicler Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga wrote an epic poem titled "La Araucana" in 1569, which detailed the fierce resistance of the Mapuche people against the Spanish invaders.

The name Arauco was likely adopted by Spanish soldiers or settlers who participated in the Arauco War or lived in the region during that time. It may have been used as a surname to commemorate their involvement in the conflict or their connection to the area.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Arauco was Pedro de Arauco, a Spanish soldier who fought in the Arauco War during the late 16th century. Another notable figure was Jerónimo de Arauco, a Jesuit missionary who worked among the Mapuche people in the 17th century.

In the 19th century, Juan José Arauco was a prominent Chilean politician and writer who served as a senator and diplomat. He was born in 1812 and played a significant role in the political landscape of Chile during that era.

The name Arauco has also been associated with various place names in Chile, such as the Arauco Province and the Arauco Peninsula, which were named after the Mapuche word and the historical events that took place in the region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Arauco include:

• Manuel Arauco (1852-1921), a Chilean lawyer and politician
• Emilio Arauco (1870-1942), a Chilean artist and painter
• Matías Arauco (1981-present), a Chilean soccer player

While the surname Arauco is relatively uncommon outside of Chile, it holds a rich historical significance and connection to the indigenous Mapuche culture and the Spanish colonial era in that region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arauco

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

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

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

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