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

Benjumea, 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 Benjumea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Benjumea in America

Benjumea is the 73005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Benjumea surname appeared 266 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 Benjumea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Benjumea 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 Benjumea

The surname Benjumea has its origins in Spain, specifically in the region of Andalusia. It is believed to have emerged during the 15th or 16th century, during the period of the Reconquista, when the Iberian Peninsula was being reclaimed from Moorish rule.

Benjumea is derived from the Arabic words "banu" and "jumaa," meaning "sons of Jumaa." This suggests that the name likely originated with a family or clan whose patriarch was named Jumaa. The adoption of Arabic surnames by Spanish families was not uncommon during this time, as many converted to Christianity but retained elements of their Arabic heritage, including their surnames.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Benjumea surname can be found in the archives of the city of Seville, where a document from 1492 mentions a certain Pedro Benjumea, who was a landowner in the region. This suggests that the Benjumea family had already established itself as a prominent presence in Andalusia by the late 15th century.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Benjumea family appears to have spread throughout other parts of Spain, with records indicating individuals bearing the surname in cities such as Madrid and Valencia. One notable individual from this period was Juan Benjumea, a poet and playwright who lived in Seville during the late 16th century and was renowned for his works exploring themes of love and religious devotion.

The 18th century saw the rise of another prominent Benjumea, Miguel Benjumea y Palma (1708-1783), a Spanish naval officer who played a key role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. He served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 1768 to 1776 and was responsible for overseeing the island's defenses and administration during a period of increased conflict with the British.

As the Benjumea family continued to spread and establish itself in various regions of Spain, the name also began to appear in other parts of the Spanish-speaking world, particularly in Latin America. One notable figure from this period was José Benjumea (1829-1890), a Cuban poet and journalist who was a prominent figure in the island's literary and political circles during the late 19th century.

Another significant individual bearing the Benjumea surname was Rosalía de Castro (1837-1885), a celebrated Galician writer and poet who is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Galician literature. Although her birth name was Rosalía de Castro y Murguía, her father's surname was Benjumea, reflecting the family's Andalusian roots.

While the Benjumea surname has its origins in Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by Spanish and Latin American immigrants and their descendants. However, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Andalusia and the Arab-influenced history of the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Benjumea

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

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

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

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