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

Cabrera, 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 Cabrera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cabrera in America

Cabrera is the 376th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cabrera surname appeared 83,621 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 28 people would have the surname Cabrera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cabrera 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 Cabrera

The surname Cabrera traces its origins to Spain, with its earliest documented use dating back to the 8th century CE. The name is derived from the Spanish word "cabra," meaning goat, suggesting a possible connection to those who herded or worked with goats in the past. It may also be linked to the Latin word "caprarius," which means "goatherd."

Cabrera is believed to have originated in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura in southern Spain, where goat herding was a common occupation. Some historians suggest that the name may have initially referred to individuals who lived in areas abundant with goats or had a notable connection to these animals.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Cabrera can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript that documents the history of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. The manuscript mentions several individuals with the surname Cabrera, indicating its widespread use in medieval Spain.

The name Cabrera has also been associated with several notable historical figures. One such individual was Fernán González de Cabrera (c. 1280 - c. 1345), a Spanish nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

Another prominent figure was Beatriz de Cabrera (c. 1490 - 1528), a Spanish noblewoman and supporter of the Catholic Monarchs during the Reconquista. She was known for her courage and loyalty to the crown and was granted significant lands and titles for her service.

In the 16th century, Alonso de Cabrera (c. 1510 - 1598) was a Spanish Renaissance humanist and writer, known for his works on philosophy and theology. He served as a tutor to the children of King Philip II of Spain and was highly regarded for his intellect and literary contributions.

Miguel Cabrera (born 1983) is a contemporary professional baseball player from Venezuela who has played for the Florida Marlins and the Detroit Tigers. He is a two-time American League Most Valuable Player and a nine-time All-Star, renowned for his exceptional batting skills.

The surname Cabrera has also been connected to various place names in Spain, such as Cabrera de Mar, a town in Catalonia, and Cabrera, a municipality in the province of Soria, Castile and León. These place names may have influenced the spread and adoption of the surname in different regions of Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cabrera

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

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

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

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