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

Avilar, 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 Avilar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Avilar in America

Avilar is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Avilar surname appeared 144 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 Avilar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Avilar 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 Avilar

The surname Avilar is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the 9th century in the region of Galicia, located in the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "avius," meaning "remote" or "secluded," reflecting the isolated nature of the area where the name first emerged.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Avilar name can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript that served as a guidebook for pilgrims traveling the Camino de Santiago, a famous pilgrimage route in northern Spain. The document mentions a certain "Petrus de Avilar" who resided near the town of Padrón, suggesting the name's association with this region.

In the 13th century, the Avilar family gained prominence in the city of Santiago de Compostela, with several members serving as influential members of the local clergy and nobility. One notable figure was Juan Avilar, a respected scholar and theologian who authored several treatises on canon law and served as a advisor to the Archbishop of Santiago from 1275 to 1289.

The name Avilar also appears in various medieval charters and land records from the Kingdom of Galicia, indicating the family's ownership of properties and estates in the region. One such document, dated 1347, refers to a "Fernán Avilar" as the lord of a manor near the town of Pontevedra.

As the centuries passed, the Avilar name spread throughout Spain, with branches of the family establishing themselves in various parts of the country. In the 16th century, a prominent figure was Diego Avilar (1512-1580), a renowned navigator and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to the New World and played a crucial role in the conquest of Mexico.

Another notable individual was María Avilar (1675-1738), a highly regarded painter from Seville who became one of the first women to be admitted to the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. Her works, which included religious paintings and portraits, were celebrated for their intricate detail and vibrant colors.

In the 19th century, the Avilar name gained further recognition with the birth of Enrique Avilar (1842-1912), a influential political figure and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1905 to 1907. His efforts to modernize the country's infrastructure and promote social reforms earned him a lasting legacy in Spanish history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Avilar

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

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

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

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