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

Balza, 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 Balza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balza in America

Balza is the 67747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balza surname appeared 291 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 Balza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balza 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 Balza

The surname BALZA originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "balza," which means a raft or a flotation device made of wooden logs bound together. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with occupations or locations related to rafting or river transportation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BALZA surname can be found in the records of the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, located in the province of La Rioja, Spain. These records date back to the 11th century and mention individuals with the surname BALZA residing in the region.

During the 13th century, the BALZA surname appeared in various historical documents from the Navarre region of northern Spain. It is believed that the name may have originated in this area and later spread to other parts of the country.

In the 14th century, the Libro del Repartimiento, a record of land distribution in the Valencian region following the Christian reconquest, mentions several individuals with the surname BALZA. This suggests that the name had become established in eastern Spain by this time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the BALZA surname was Juan de Balza, a Spanish knight who participated in the Reconquista campaigns against the Moors in the 13th century. He was recorded as being present at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212.

Another notable figure was Pedro Balza, a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Balza played a crucial role in the exploration and settlement of the Caribbean islands.

In the 16th century, the BALZA surname gained prominence in the Spanish colonies of the Americas. Diego de Balza, born in 1520 in Seville, Spain, was one of the first settlers in the region now known as Venezuela. He established the city of Trujillo and served as its first governor.

The BALZA surname can also be found in Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Liguria. It is believed that the name may have been introduced to these areas by Spanish settlers or through trade and cultural exchange during the Renaissance period.

One Italian bearer of the BALZA surname was Giovanni Balza, a Genoese merchant and diplomat who lived in the 15th century. He played a significant role in mediating trade relations between the Republic of Genoa and the Ottoman Empire.

In the 17th century, the BALZA surname appeared in records from the Spanish Philippines. Juan Balza, born in Manila in 1635, was a renowned architect who contributed to the construction of several churches and buildings in the Philippine capital.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balza

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

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

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

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