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

Ballester, 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 Ballester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ballester in America

Ballester is the 26534th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ballester surname appeared 919 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 Ballester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ballester 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 Ballester

The surname Ballester originated in Spain, specifically in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia. It emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name is derived from the Catalan word "ballester," which means "crossbowman" or "archer." This suggests that the surname may have initially been an occupational name given to those who worked as crossbowmen or archers, possibly in the military or as guards.

Records from the Kingdom of Valencia and the Crown of Aragon, which encompassed parts of modern-day Spain and France, contain early mentions of the name Ballester. One notable example is found in the Llibre del Repartiment, a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and properties after the conquest of Valencia by the Crown of Aragon. Several individuals with the surname Ballester are listed as recipients of land grants in this document.

The earliest known bearer of the name Ballester was Arnau Ballester, a prominent Catalan knight who lived in the 13th century. He participated in the conquest of Valencia alongside King Jaume I of Aragon and was rewarded with lands and titles for his service. Another notable figure was Francesc Ballester, a 14th-century Valencian poet and writer who gained recognition for his works in the Valencian language.

During the 15th century, the name Ballester appeared in various regions of Spain, including Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia. One notable individual from this period was Joan Ballester, a Valencian architect who designed several important buildings, including the Silk Exchange (Lonja de la Seda) in Valencia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the 16th century, Jaume Ballester (1490-1560) was a prominent Valencian humanist, writer, and professor who taught at the University of Valencia. He authored several works on philosophy and literature, contributing to the intellectual and cultural life of Renaissance Spain.

Another significant individual with the surname Ballester was Josep Ballester i Roca (1767-1844), a Catalan painter and engraver who worked during the Neoclassical period. He was known for his religious paintings and portraits, and his works can be found in various churches and museums in Spain.

Over the centuries, the name Ballester has been documented in different regions of Spain, including Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon, and the Balearic Islands. While the name originated as an occupational surname, it has since become a prominent family name in these areas, with many notable individuals bearing this surname throughout Spanish history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ballester

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

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

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

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