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

Avelar, 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 Avelar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Avelar in America

Avelar is the 4692nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Avelar surname appeared 7,564 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Avelar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Avelar 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 Avelar

The surname Avelar has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Portugal and Spain. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, derived from the Latin word "avellanarius," which means "hazelnut tree." This suggests that the name was likely associated with individuals who lived near or worked with hazelnut trees.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical manuscript from the 13th century. The name appears as "Avelaar," a variant spelling commonly used during that time.

In the 15th century, the surname Avelar is mentioned in the chronicles of the Portuguese conquest of Ceuta, a city located in present-day Morocco. This indicates that individuals bearing this name participated in the military campaigns and expeditions of the Portuguese Crown during the Age of Discoveries.

One notable individual with the surname Avelar was Gaspar de Avelar, a Portuguese explorer who was part of the expedition led by Pedro Álvares Cabral, which discovered Brazil in 1500. Gaspar de Avelar played a crucial role in the early exploration and mapping of the Brazilian coastline.

Another significant figure was Manuel de Avelar, a Portuguese nobleman and military commander who lived during the 16th century. He was involved in the Portuguese conquest of the Moluccas Islands in present-day Indonesia and served as the governor of the Ternate Sultanate from 1551 to 1552.

In Spain, the surname Avelar is also found in historical records, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura. One notable individual was Pedro de Avelar, a Spanish military commander who participated in the conquest of Granada in the late 15th century, during the final stages of the Reconquista.

During the colonial era, individuals with the surname Avelar were among the early settlers and explorers who ventured to the Americas, particularly to Brazil and Spanish colonies in the New World. This contributed to the further spread and establishment of the name in those regions.

It is worth noting that the surname Avelar may have variations in spelling, such as Avellar, Avellano, or Avellana, depending on the region and language. Additionally, some historical records may include place names or locations associated with the surname, such as Avelar de Cima (Upper Avelar) or Avelar de Baixo (Lower Avelar), which were likely villages or settlements where individuals with this name resided.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Avelar

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

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

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

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