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

Baltazar, 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 Baltazar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baltazar in America

Baltazar is the 2767th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baltazar surname appeared 13,045 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Baltazar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baltazar 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 Baltazar

The surname Baltazar has its origins in Spain and Portugal, where it is believed to have emerged in the late medieval period. It is derived from the biblical name "Balthazar," one of the three Magi or Wise Men who visited the infant Jesus, as mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew. The name itself is of Babylonian origin, derived from the words "Bel" (a Babylonian god) and "ṣuri" (protect).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Baltazar can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript compiled during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile. This text mentions various individuals with the surname, suggesting its presence in the Iberian Peninsula at that time.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Juan Baltazar de Ayala (1443-1505) served as a Spanish military leader and diplomat during the reigns of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada and the expulsion of the Moors from Spain.

Another noteworthy individual with this surname was Pedro Baltazar de Heredia (1567-1648), a Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippines. He is credited with establishing the first permanent Spanish settlement in the Mariana Islands in 1668.

Moving forward, the surname Baltazar also found its way to the Americas through Spanish and Portuguese colonization. One notable figure was Juan Baltazar de Oñate (1552-1626), a Spanish explorer and colonial governor of New Mexico. He led the expedition that established the first permanent European settlement in the region, known as the Oñate Colony, in 1598.

In the realm of literature, the Portuguese poet and writer João Baltazar Álvares (1666-1726) gained recognition for his works, including "Pastoral da Serra da Estrela" (Pastoral of the Serra da Estrela).

While the surname Baltazar originated in the Iberian Peninsula, it eventually spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. Over time, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, such as Baltasar and Baltazar, reflecting regional linguistic influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baltazar

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

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

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

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