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

Balseiro, 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 Balseiro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balseiro in America

Balseiro is the 92358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balseiro surname appeared 199 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 Balseiro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balseiro 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 Balseiro

The surname Balseiro is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the word "balseiro," which refers to a person who worked with balsam or resin, particularly in the production of wood preservatives and sealants.

In the early medieval period, the name was likely associated with individuals involved in the forestry or woodworking trades, as balsam and resins were essential materials for waterproofing and protecting wooden structures, ships, and other crafts. The name may have originated in regions with significant forestry or naval industries, such as Galicia or the Basque Country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Balseiro surname can be found in the "Tumbo Viejo" of the Cathedral of Lugo, a historical document dating back to the 13th century. This manuscript mentions a certain "Pedro Balseiro" as a witness to a legal transaction involving land ownership.

During the 15th century, the name appears in various municipal records and census documents from the city of Santiago de Compostela, suggesting that the Balseiro family had established a presence in the region of Galicia by that time.

Notable individuals bearing the Balseiro surname include:

1. Juan Balseiro (c. 1490 - 1560), a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519.

2. María Balseiro (c. 1625 - 1690), a Spanish poet and writer from Seville, known for her religious and mystical works.

3. Pedro Balseiro (1768 - 1842), a Spanish military officer and statesman who served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1822 to 1823.

4. José Balseiro (1891 - 1975), a prominent Galician sculptor and artist, renowned for his religious and monumental works in churches and public spaces throughout Spain.

5. Antonio Balseiro (1925 - 2011), a Spanish physicist and nuclear engineer who played a significant role in the development of Spain's nuclear energy program in the mid-20th century.

As the Balseiro name spread throughout Spain and its territories, various place names and variations in spelling emerged, such as Balseyro, Balserio, and Balzeiro, reflecting local linguistic influences and regional dialects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balseiro

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

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

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

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