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

Becerra, 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 Becerra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Becerra in America

Becerra is the 1051st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Becerra surname appeared 33,274 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Becerra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Becerra 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 Becerra

The surname Becerra originates from Spain, and its origins can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "becerro," meaning "young bull" or "calf," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone associated with cattle herding or farming.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Becerra name appears in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunting Grounds), a 14th-century manuscript detailing the hunting preserves in Spain during the reign of King Alfonso XI. This document mentions a place called "Becerra" in the province of Salamanca, hinting at the possible origin of the surname from a place name.

In the 15th century, a notable figure with the Becerra surname was Pedro de Becerra, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico in the early 16th century. Another prominent individual was the Spanish Renaissance sculptor Gaspar Becerra (1520-1570), known for his works in the Alcázar of Madrid and the Cathedral of Astorga.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Becerra name gained prominence in various regions of Spain, particularly in Andalusia and Extremadura. One remarkable figure from this period was Alonso de Becerra (1534-1599), a Spanish Jesuit missionary who traveled to Japan and played a significant role in the establishment of Christianity in that country.

In the 18th century, Juan José Becerra (1713-1785) was a renowned Spanish architect and sculptor, best known for his work on the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Palacio de Liria. Another notable figure was Manuel Becerra (1820-1896), a Spanish politician and jurist who served as Prime Minister of Spain from 1870 to 1871.

As the Becerra surname spread across Spain and its territories, it eventually made its way to the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the New World. Today, the Becerra name can be found in various Spanish-speaking countries, including Mexico, Argentina, and the United States, reflecting the global reach of this historically Spanish surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Becerra

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

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

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

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