Balandra last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Balandra

A surname denoting someone who lived near or was associated with a sailboat.

Balandra, 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 Balandra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balandra in America

Balandra is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balandra surname appeared 150 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 Balandra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balandra 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 116201 149328 -24.95%
Count 150 101 39.04%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.04 22.22%

The history of the last name Balandra

The surname Balandra is believed to have originated in Spain, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. The name is speculated to be derived from the Spanish word "balandra," which refers to a type of sailing vessel or small boat.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Balandra surname can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in historical documents from the region of Catalonia, located in northeastern Spain. This region was known for its maritime activities and trade, which could explain the connection between the surname and the nautical term "balandra."

In the 15th century, the Balandra surname gained prominence in the region of Andalusia, particularly in the coastal city of Cadiz. During this period, several notable individuals bearing the Balandra name emerged, including Juan Balandra, a prominent merchant and shipowner who lived in Cadiz between 1450 and 1520.

The name Balandra also appeared in various Spanish records and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries, often associated with individuals involved in maritime activities or residing in coastal areas. For example, Pedro Balandra, a naval officer born in Malaga in 1575, was mentioned in naval logs for his involvement in various expeditions and battles during the Spanish Golden Age.

In the 18th century, the Balandra surname gained recognition beyond Spain's borders. One notable figure was Antonio Balandra, a Spanish explorer and navigator born in Seville in 1720. He participated in several expeditions to the Americas and is credited with mapping parts of the Pacific coast of North America.

Another prominent individual with the Balandra surname was Maria Balandra, a renowned painter and artist born in Valencia in 1780. Her works, which often depicted maritime scenes and landscapes, were highly celebrated during her lifetime and can be found in various art galleries and museums across Spain.

As the surname spread throughout the Spanish-speaking world, it also found its way to Latin American countries, where individuals bearing the Balandra name made significant contributions in various fields, including literature, politics, and the arts.

It is worth noting that while the surname Balandra is primarily associated with Spain and the Spanish-speaking world, variations of the name or similar-sounding surnames can be found in other regions, potentially indicating different origins or etymologies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balandra

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

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 Balandra was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 5.33% 8
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 44.67% 67
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 4.67% 7
Hispanic Origin 44.67% 67

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 Balandra has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 5.33% (S)% (S)%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 44.67% 36.63% 19.78%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 4.67% 4.95% -5.82%
Hispanic 44.67% 55.45% -21.53%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Balandra last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/balandra-surname-popularity/.

"Balandra last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/balandra-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 May, 2025

Balandra last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/balandra-surname-popularity/.

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