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

Balanay, 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 Balanay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balanay in America

Balanay is the 71265th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balanay surname appeared 274 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 Balanay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balanay 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 Balanay

The surname BALANAY is believed to have originated from the Visayan region of the Philippines, specifically in the island provinces of Panay and Negros. Its roots can be traced back to the pre-colonial era, possibly derived from the ancient Visayan word "balanay" which means "to trade" or "to barter."

In the early 16th century, during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, the name BALANAY started appearing in historical records and documents. It was commonly associated with families and individuals engaged in trading activities, particularly in the bustling port towns and marketplaces of the Visayan islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BALANAY can be found in the "Relacion de las Islas Filipinas" by Miguel de Loarca, a Spanish explorer and chronicler who visited the Philippines in the late 16th century. Loarca documented the vibrant trading culture of the Visayan people and mentioned several prominent families with the surname BALANAY.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the BALANAY name was Juan BALANAY, a respected merchant and community leader in the town of Iloilo, Panay Island. Juan BALANAY played a significant role in facilitating trade between the Spanish colonial authorities and the local Visayan communities.

Another historical figure of note was Maria BALANAY (1730-1805), a skilled weaver and entrepreneur from the town of Silay, Negros Occidental. Her intricate textiles and clothing products were highly sought after throughout the Visayan region, and her business acumen helped establish the BALANAY family as a respected name in the local economy.

During the 19th century, the BALANAY surname gained prominence in the sugar industry of Negros Island. One of the most influential figures was Pedro BALANAY (1820-1892), a wealthy haciendero (plantation owner) and businessman who was instrumental in the development of the sugar trade in the region.

In more recent times, the BALANAY name has continued to be associated with various professions and industries, though its roots remain deeply intertwined with the trading and entrepreneurial spirit of the Visayan people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balanay

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

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

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

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