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

Ballestero, 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 Ballestero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ballestero in America

Ballestero is the 37341st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ballestero surname appeared 597 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 Ballestero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ballestero 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 Ballestero

The surname Ballestero has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "ballestero," which means "crossbowman" or "archer." The name likely originated as an occupational surname, referring to individuals who were skilled in the use of the crossbow, a weapon that was widely used in warfare and hunting during that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ballestero can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century hunting treatise written by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Ballestero, indicating that the name was already established in Spain by that period.

In the 15th century, the surname Ballestero was associated with several notable figures. One example is Pedro Ballestero, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands in the early 1400s. Another prominent individual was Juan Ballestero, a soldier who served under the Spanish king Ferdinand II of Aragon during the Reconquista, the campaign to expel the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula.

The surname Ballestero also has connections to various place names in Spain. For instance, there is a municipality called Ballesteros de Calatrava in the province of Ciudad Real, which may have derived its name from individuals bearing the Ballestero surname. Additionally, the town of Ballesteros in the province of Albacete is another possible reference to the name's geographic origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Ballestero. One example is Francisco Ballestero y Contreras (1770-1833), a Spanish general who fought against the French during the Peninsular War. Another prominent figure was Alfredo Ballestero (1908-1984), a Spanish painter and sculptor known for his works in the Cubist style.

José Ballesteros (1919-1998) was a Spanish businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Ballesteros Group, a leading company in the food industry. Severiano Ballesteros (1957-2011), one of the most renowned Spanish golfers of all time, is perhaps the most famous individual with this surname. He won numerous major championships, including five Major titles, and was instrumental in popularizing golf in Europe.

Lastly, Manuel Ballesteros (1937-2011) was a distinguished Spanish novelist and poet, known for his works that explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition. His literary contributions earned him several prestigious awards and recognition in the Spanish-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ballestero

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

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

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

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