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

Batungbacal, 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 Batungbacal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Batungbacal in America

Batungbacal is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Batungbacal surname appeared 103 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 Batungbacal.

The history of the last name Batungbacal

The surname Batungbacal has its origins rooted in the Philippines, specifically in the Visayan region of the country. Its earliest traces can be found in the remote villages and towns of the central Philippine islands, dating back to the late 16th century.

Batungbacal is believed to be derived from the Visayan words "batung" meaning "rock" or "stone," and "bacal" which translates to "river." This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to a geographic location characterized by a rocky or stone-filled river, potentially describing the homeland of the family's ancestors.

Historical records from Spanish colonial archives mention the name Batungbacal in several land ownership documents and tax registries from the late 1600s. One such reference is found in the Magellan Codex, a collection of manuscripts detailing the early Spanish expeditions to the Philippines, where a "Juan Batungbacal" is listed as a landowner in the town of Leyte in 1687.

The earliest known individual bearing this surname was Pedro Batungbacal, born in the village of Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, in 1615. He was a respected leader in his community and is believed to have been one of the first to adopt the surname during the Spanish decree that mandated the use of surnames for taxation purposes.

Another notable figure was Maria Batungbacal, a prominent writer and poet from the town of Bogo, Cebu, who lived in the late 18th century. Her works, though largely unpreserved, are said to have captured the essence of Visayan culture and traditions.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence with the rise of Teodoro Batungbacal, a prominent educator and advocate for the preservation of indigenous languages. He established several schools in the Visayas region and authored several books on Visayan grammar and literature, cementing his legacy as a pioneer in Philippine education.

The Batungbacal family also produced notable figures in the religious realm, such as Father Benito Batungbacal, a Jesuit priest who played a significant role in the establishment of Catholic missions in the Visayas during the late 1800s.

As the Batungbacal surname spread across the Philippines, it retained its strong ties to the Visayan region, with many descendants continuing to reside in the central islands of the archipelago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Batungbacal

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

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 Batungbacal 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.

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

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

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