Beltre
Derived from the Spanish word "beltran", meaning "bright raven".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,748 Americans carry the last name Beltre. That puts it at #18,337 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.51 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 196,084 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beltre surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.7K
1 in 196,084
Census rank
#18,337
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,511 bearers of the surname Beltre in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.51 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 18337th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beltre, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beltre
The surname Beltre has its origins in Spain, specifically in the regions of Castile and León. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "beldad," meaning beauty or fairness, suggesting it may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with or sold cosmetics or beauty products.
Historically, the name Beltre can be traced back to various ancient records and documents from Spain. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile in the 14th century. The text mentions a person named "Pedro Beltre" as one of the participants in a royal hunting expedition.
Another notable historical figure bearing the Beltre surname was Juan Beltre, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. Juan Beltre is mentioned in several accounts of the expedition, including Bernal Díaz del Castillo's "Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España" (True History of the Conquest of New Spain).
In the 17th century, there was a prominent writer and poet from Seville named Luis Beltre de Guevara, whose work "El parnaso español" (The Spanish Parnassus) was widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
The Beltre surname also has connections to various place names in Spain. For instance, there is a small village called Beltrán in the province of Huesca, which may have influenced variations of the name, such as Beltran or Beltran.
Other notable individuals with the Beltre surname throughout history include:
1. Juan Beltre Gutiérrez (1813-1876), a Spanish painter and lithographer known for his portraits and religious works.
2. María Beltre Cabañas (1828-1891), a Spanish writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and education.
3. Enrique Beltre Martínez (1864-1932), a prominent Spanish lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Congress of Deputies.
4. Dolores Beltre de la Fuente (1897-1981), a Spanish sculptor and ceramist known for her avant-garde art pieces.
5. Ramón Beltre Delgado (1923-2008), a renowned Spanish architect and urban planner who designed numerous public buildings and urban projects in Spain.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beltre
Among Census respondents with the surname Beltre, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Beltre bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Beltre surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino96.5%
- White3.0%
- Black or African American0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Beltre surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,337 | #18,337 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,511 | 1,511 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.51 | 0.51 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Beltre bearers went from 1,511 to 1,511 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #18,337 to #18,337.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Beltre
FAQ
Beltre surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Beltre?
The surname Beltre holds position #18,337 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,748 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.51 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Beltre surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beltre, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (3.0%) and Black (0.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.