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

Balmaceda, 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 Balmaceda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balmaceda in America

Balmaceda is the 27303rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balmaceda surname appeared 885 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 Balmaceda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balmaceda 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 Balmaceda

The surname Balmaceda has its origins in the Basque Country, a region spanning parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. It likely emerged sometime during the Middle Ages, derived from the Basque words "balu" meaning "ravine" or "gorge" and "aizeta" meaning "windy" or "airy." This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic descriptor referring to a windy ravine or gorge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 14th-century document from the town of Lekeitio, located in the Basque province of Bizkaia. The document mentions a person named Juan de Balmaceda, indicating that the surname was already in use by that time.

In the 16th century, the Balmaceda family gained prominence in the region, with several members holding influential positions in the local government and religious institutions. One notable figure was Pedro de Balmaceda, a clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Bizkaia in the mid-1500s.

During the Spanish colonial era, the Balmaceda name spread to various parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Americas. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was José Manuel Balmaceda (1840-1891), who served as the President of Chile from 1886 to 1891. He is remembered for his progressive policies and his efforts to modernize the country's infrastructure.

Another noteworthy figure was Domingo Balmaceda (1821-1889), a Chilean politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and also represented his country as an ambassador to several European nations.

In the realm of literature, the Chilean author Rafael Balmaceda Toro (1891-1962) gained recognition for his works, including the novel "El Hermano Errante" (The Wandering Brother).

The Balmaceda surname can also be found in various parts of Latin America, particularly in Argentina, where it is believed to have been introduced by Basque immigrants during the colonial period.

While the name's origins can be traced back to the Basque region, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing the surname Balmaceda found in different countries and cultures, each with their own unique stories and contributions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balmaceda

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

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

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

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