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

Baltasar, 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 Baltasar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baltasar in America

Baltasar is the 114424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baltasar surname appeared 153 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 Baltasar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baltasar 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 Baltasar

The surname "Baltasar" is of Spanish origin, derived from the Biblical name "Balthazar," one of the three wise men who visited the infant Jesus. The name is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, when the story of the three wise men became a popular subject in Christian folklore and art.

The name "Baltasar" is a Hispanicized version of the Greek name "Balthasar," which itself is derived from the Babylonian name "Bel-shar-usur," meaning "Bel (the god) protect the king." This name was commonly used in ancient Babylon and Persia, and it entered the Christian tradition through the Biblical account of the wise men.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "Baltasar" can be found in medieval Spanish documents and records, particularly in regions such as Aragon, Castile, and Andalusia. The name was likely adopted as a surname by families who venerated the story of the wise men or had connections to the Christian tradition.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname "Baltasar" was Baltasar de Castiglione (1478-1529), an Italian courtier and diplomat who served as a member of the papal curia. Another notable figure was Baltasar Gracián (1601-1658), a Spanish Jesuit priest, philosopher, and writer, best known for his works on ethical and political philosophy.

In the realm of art, Baltasar de Echave Ibía (1548-1624) was a Spanish painter and sculptor who worked in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. His most famous works include the altarpiece in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza.

During the colonial era, the surname "Baltasar" also spread to Spanish territories in the Americas. One prominent figure was Baltasar de Zúñiga (1658-1722), a Spanish colonial administrator who served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1716 to 1722.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros (1757-1829), a Spanish naval officer and explorer who conducted important explorations in the Pacific Ocean, including the discovery of several islands in the Marshall Islands group.

The surname "Baltasar" has continued to be used throughout the Spanish-speaking world, with variations in spelling and pronunciation in different regions. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period and the Christian tradition surrounding the three wise men.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baltasar

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

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

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

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