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

Balagtas, 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 Balagtas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balagtas in America

Balagtas is the 45253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balagtas surname appeared 473 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 Balagtas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balagtas 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 Balagtas

The surname Balagtas originated in the Philippines, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Tagalog word "balagtas," which means "to cut through" or "to cross over." This name was likely given to individuals who resided near rivers or other bodies of water that required crossing or cutting through.

The earliest known record of the Balagtas surname appears in a Spanish colonial document from the late 1500s, where a certain Juan Balagtas was mentioned as a landowner in the province of Bulacan. During this time, many Filipinos adopted Spanish-influenced surnames as part of the process of Christianization and colonization.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named Francisco Balagtas was recorded as a respected poet and playwright in the region of Pampanga. His works, written in Tagalog and Spanish, were influential in preserving the cultural heritage of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.

The Balagtas surname is also associated with the renowned poet Francisco Baltazar, better known as Francisco Balagtas or "Francisco Baltazar Balagtas." Born in 1788, he is considered one of the most celebrated literary figures in Philippine history, renowned for his epic religious poem "Florante at Laura." Balagtas' works played a significant role in shaping the Philippine literary tradition.

Another prominent individual with the Balagtas surname was Mariano Balagtas, a revolutionary leader who fought against Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century. He was a key figure in the Philippine Revolution and played a crucial role in the province of Bulacan's resistance against Spanish forces.

In the 20th century, the name Balagtas gained further recognition through the renowned writer and activist Teodoro Balagtas. Born in 1909, he was a prolific author and a vocal advocate for social justice and workers' rights in the Philippines.

While the Balagtas surname has its roots in the Philippines, it has also been adopted by individuals of various ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the country's rich cultural diversity and history of migration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balagtas

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

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

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

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