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

Borges, 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 Borges surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Borges in America

Borges is the 2908th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Borges surname appeared 12,337 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Borges.

We can also compare 2010 data for Borges 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 Borges

The surname Borges has its origins in Spain, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Spanish word "borga," which means a small hamlet or village. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived in or came from a small village.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Borges can be found in the medieval Spanish manuscript "El Libro de las Behetrías," which dates back to the reign of King Alfonso XI in the 14th century. This document lists various noble families and their holdings, including individuals bearing the surname Borges.

In the 15th century, the name Borges appeared in several historical records related to the Spanish Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms fought to reclaim territories from the Moors. Some notable individuals with this surname during this time include Juan Borges, a military commander who participated in the conquest of Granada in 1492.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the name Borges spread to other parts of the world, including Latin America. One of the most famous bearers of this surname is Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986), an Argentine writer and poet widely regarded as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century.

Another notable individual with the surname Borges was Bartolomé Mitre Borges (1821-1906), an Argentine statesman and writer who served as the President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868. He played a significant role in the unification of the country and the establishment of a centralized government.

In Portugal, the surname Borges is also found, although its origins are slightly different. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese word "borga," which means a small village or hamlet, similar to its Spanish counterpart. One notable Portuguese figure with this surname was Tomás Borges (1758-1838), a poet and playwright who contributed to the development of Portuguese Neoclassical literature.

Throughout history, the surname Borges has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, in Spain, there are towns and villages such as Borges Blanques and Borges del Campo, which likely influenced the formation of the surname. Additionally, the name has been spelled in various ways, including Borjas and Burrges, reflecting regional variations and language changes over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Borges

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

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

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

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