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

Bilbao, 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 Bilbao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bilbao in America

Bilbao is the 25975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bilbao surname appeared 945 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 Bilbao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bilbao 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 Bilbao

The surname Bilbao originates from the Basque region of northern Spain. It is derived from the name of the city of Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque Country. The city's name itself is thought to come from the Basque words "ibil" meaning "to walk" and "bao" meaning "under" or "through," referring to the location of the city under a prominent hilltop.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bilbao can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various medieval documents and records from the region. During this time, it was common for people to adopt surnames derived from the places they lived or originated from.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Juan de Bilbao served as a merchant and banker in the court of King John II of Castile. He played a significant role in the economic and financial affairs of the kingdom during that period.

Another prominent individual with the surname was Diego de Bilbao, a 16th-century navigator and explorer from Spain. He participated in several expeditions to the Americas and is credited with contributing to the early mapping and exploration of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico regions.

In the 17th century, Francisco de Bilbao was a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the Thirty Years' War. He participated in several battles and campaigns throughout Europe, earning recognition for his military service.

During the 18th century, a renowned philosopher and political theorist named Francisco Bilbao y Barquín was born in Chile in 1823. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual and political circles of his time, advocating for social reform and playing a significant role in the development of Latin American thought.

In the 19th century, the surname Bilbao gained further recognition with the birth of Antonio Bilbao y Goyoaga in 1858. He was a Spanish painter and sculptor, known for his works depicting scenes from Basque culture and traditions.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Bilbao, which has its origins firmly rooted in the Basque region of Spain and the city of the same name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bilbao

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

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

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

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