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

Bocanegra, 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 Bocanegra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bocanegra in America

Bocanegra is the 4934th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bocanegra surname appeared 7,134 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bocanegra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bocanegra 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 Bocanegra

The surname Bocanegra originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish words "boca," meaning mouth, and "negra," meaning black or dark. The name likely referred to someone with a dark or swarthy complexion or someone who had a distinctive feature related to their mouth.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bocanegra can be found in the 13th century, when a nobleman named Garci Bocanegra served as an admiral in the Castilian navy during the reign of King Alfonso X, known as "El Sabio" (The Wise). Garci Bocanegra played a crucial role in the conquest of Cádiz in 1262.

Another notable figure with the surname Bocanegra was Juan Bocanegra, a 15th-century Spanish navigator and explorer. He accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493 and later served as the first governor of Hispaniola (modern-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

In the 16th century, the Bocanegra family established itself in the region of Andalusia, particularly in the city of Seville. One prominent member was Mateo Bocanegra, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Seville, including the Monastery of Santa María de las Cuevas and the Church of Santa Catalina.

The Bocanegra name also appears in literary works from the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Miguel de Cervantes, the author of the iconic novel "Don Quixote," mentioned a character named Bocanegra in one of his lesser-known works, "La ilustre fregona" (The Illustrious Kitchen-Maid).

Another significant figure with the surname Bocanegra was José María Bocanegra, a Mexican politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the presidency of Valentín Gómez Farías in the mid-19th century. He played a crucial role in shaping Mexico's foreign policy during a tumultuous period in the country's history.

Over the centuries, the Bocanegra surname has spread throughout Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, with variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging in different regions. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval Spain, it has become a part of the rich tapestry of Hispanic culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bocanegra

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

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

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

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