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

Arroyo, 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 Arroyo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arroyo in America

Arroyo is the 678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arroyo surname appeared 50,614 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Arroyo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arroyo 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 Arroyo

The surname Arroyo is of Spanish origin, derived from the Spanish word "arroyo," which means a small stream or brook. The name likely originated in Spain during the Middle Ages, when surnames began to be adopted.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Arroyo can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, such as Andalusia, Castile, and Aragon. It is believed that the name was initially given to individuals who lived near or owned land near a small stream or brook.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Arroyo was Pedro Arroyo, a prominent Spanish nobleman who lived in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the time, including land records and legal documents.

In the 15th century, the surname Arroyo appears in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where several individuals with this name were persecuted for their religious beliefs. One notable figure from this period was Juan Arroyo, a Jewish convert to Christianity who was tried and executed by the Inquisition in 1492.

During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, many individuals with the surname Arroyo emigrated to the New World. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the Americas is that of Diego Arroyo, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

Another notable figure with the surname Arroyo was Gaspar Arroyo, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Pacific Northwest in the late 18th century. He is credited with mapping and charting several areas of the Pacific Coast.

In the 19th century, the surname Arroyo became more widespread throughout Latin America, particularly in countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. One prominent individual with this name was Ramón Arroyo, a Mexican military leader and politician who served as the Governor of the state of Guanajuato in the mid-19th century.

Over the centuries, the surname Arroyo has been associated with various professions and fields, including agriculture, military service, politics, and the arts. Some notable individuals with this surname include the Mexican painter Jesús Arroyo (1881-1954), the Chilean writer and poet Víctor Arroyo (1904-1983), and the Argentine footballer Norberto Arroyo (born 1949).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arroyo

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

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

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

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