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

Avilés, 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 Avilés surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Avilés in America

Avilés is the 1375th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Avilés surname appeared 25,716 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Avilés.

We can also compare 2010 data for Avilés 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 Avilés

The surname Aviles originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish town of Aviles, located in the northern region of Asturias. The name is believed to have its roots in the Latin word "avellana," meaning "hazelnut," suggesting that the area may have been known for its hazelnut groves.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Aviles can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a 14th-century manuscript that documented landowners and their properties. In this text, the name appears as "Aveyles," an early variation of the spelling.

During the 15th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (1519-1574), a Spanish sailor and explorer who established the first permanent European settlement in what is now the continental United States. He founded St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565 and served as the first governor of Spanish Florida.

Another notable figure with the surname Aviles was Gaspar de Avilés (1593-1657), a Spanish painter from the Baroque period who was known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in various churches and museums across Spain.

In the 18th century, José Avilés y Iturbide (1727-1799) was a Spanish naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He is credited with mapping and naming several locations along the coast of present-day British Columbia and Washington state.

Fast forward to the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Aviles was Efraín Avilés Ramírez (1924-1990), a Mexican actor and comedian known for his roles in numerous Mexican films and television shows. He was a beloved figure in Mexican popular culture and helped shape the country's comedy scene.

Throughout history, variations of the Aviles surname have included Avilés, Avilez, and Avila, with the latter being a separate but related surname derived from the Spanish city of Ávila.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Avilés

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

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

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

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