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

Barela, 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 Barela surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barela in America

Barela is the 4586th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barela surname appeared 7,739 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Barela.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barela 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 Barela

The surname Barela is believed to have originated in Spain, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "barela," which refers to a small barrel or cask. This name likely arose as an occupational surname, given to individuals involved in the trade or production of barrels, casks, or related wooden containers.

In its earliest forms, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Barela," "Barella," and "Barrela," reflecting regional linguistic variations. The name can be found in historical records dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries in regions like Aragon, Castile, and Andalusia.

One of the earliest known references to the Barela surname can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This text mentions individuals with the surname Barela among the participants in royal hunting expeditions.

During the 15th century, the name Barela gained prominence with the rise of notable individuals bearing this surname. Juan Barela (c. 1420-1498) was a renowned navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. His contributions were instrumental in charting new routes and establishing settlements in the Caribbean.

In the 16th century, Pedro Barela (1505-1572) was a prominent author and scholar from Seville. He authored several influential works on philosophy, theology, and literature, earning him a reputation as one of the leading intellectuals of his time.

The 17th century saw the rise of Catalina Barela (1618-1692), a celebrated painter from Valencia. Her works, often depicting religious and mythological scenes, were highly sought after by the Spanish nobility and remain valuable examples of the Baroque art movement.

In the 18th century, the name Barela was associated with the conquistadors and colonizers who ventured into the Americas. One such figure was Diego Barela (1725-1798), a Spanish military officer who played a crucial role in the colonization efforts in present-day Argentina and Chile.

As the centuries progressed, the Barela surname continued to spread across Spain and its territories, with descendants carrying on the name and contributing to various fields and professions. While the origins of the name are rooted in an occupational lineage, the Barela surname has since become a symbol of Spanish heritage and cultural identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barela

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

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

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

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