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

Cacique, 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 Cacique surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cacique in America

Cacique is the 70208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cacique surname appeared 279 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 Cacique.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cacique 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 Cacique

The surname CACIQUE originates from the indigenous Taino people of the Caribbean islands. It dates back to the pre-Columbian era and the time of European contact and colonization in the late 15th century. The word "cacique" was derived from the Taino language and referred to the chiefs or leaders of the Taino tribes.

When the Spanish colonizers arrived in the Caribbean, they adopted the term "cacique" to describe the local indigenous leaders they encountered. The surname likely emerged as a way to identify individuals who held positions of authority or were descended from these Taino chiefs.

One of the earliest documented uses of the surname CACIQUE can be found in the writings of Spanish chroniclers and conquistadors who documented their encounters with the Taino people. Bartolomé de las Casas, a Dominican friar and historian, mentioned several Taino caciques in his accounts of the Spanish colonization of the West Indies in the early 16th century.

As the Spanish empire expanded throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, the surname CACIQUE spread to various regions. It became associated with individuals of indigenous descent or those who held positions of power or influence in colonial societies.

Notable individuals with the surname CACIQUE include:

1. Juan Cacique (c. 1500-1565), a Taino chief and leader who initially resisted the Spanish conquest but later converted to Christianity and worked as an interpreter and mediator between the Spanish and indigenous populations.

2. Enrique Cacique (1578-1647), a Spanish colonial administrator and governor of Puerto Rico in the early 17th century.

3. Ignacio Cacique (1690-1755), a Mestizo landowner and rancher in colonial Mexico who played a significant role in the development of cattle ranching in the region.

4. María Cacique (1802-1875), a prominent figure in the Peruvian War of Independence, known for her role in supporting the patriot forces and providing shelter and supplies to revolutionaries.

5. Pablo Cacique (1920-1998), a renowned Ecuadorian painter and sculptor, celebrated for his works depicting indigenous themes and cultural heritage.

While the surname CACIQUE has its roots in the Taino culture of the Caribbean, it has since been adopted and carried on by individuals of various ancestries and backgrounds throughout Latin America and the Spanish-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cacique

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

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

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

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