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

Cajamarca, 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 Cajamarca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cajamarca in America

Cajamarca is the 28679th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cajamarca surname appeared 831 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 Cajamarca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca

The surname "CAJAMARCA" is of Peruvian origin, tracing its roots back to the city of Cajamarca in the northern highlands of Peru. The name likely derives from the Quechua words "cajja" meaning "cold" and "marca" meaning "village" or "land," suggesting it was initially associated with a cold or high-altitude settlement.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in historical accounts of the Spanish conquest of Peru in the 16th century. The city of Cajamarca played a pivotal role in this period, as it was the site of the infamous encounter between the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro and the Inca emperor Atahualpa in 1532. This event marked the beginning of the end for the Inca Empire and the subjugation of its territories by the Spanish crown.

In the centuries following the conquest, the surname Cajamarca became more widespread throughout Peru and other parts of Spanish America. Notable individuals bearing this surname include José Dámaso de Cajamarca (1774-1854), a Peruvian priest and educator who played a significant role in the independence movement against Spanish rule. Another prominent figure was Manuel Isaías Cajamarca (1812-1890), a Peruvian military officer and politician who served as President of Peru from 1865 to 1867.

The name Cajamarca has also been associated with several places beyond the original city, such as the Cajamarca District, Cajamarca Province, and the Department of Cajamarca, all located in the northern highlands of Peru. This reflects the importance of the region and its historical ties to the surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cajamarca include Juan Francisco Cajamarca (1788-1855), a Peruvian military officer and politician who participated in the wars of independence against Spain; Mariano Cajamarca (1820-1892), a Peruvian lawyer and politician who served as President of the Senate; and Juana Mamani de Cajamarca (1843-1910), a Peruvian indigenous leader and activist who fought for the rights of indigenous people in the Andes.

While the surname Cajamarca has its roots in Peru, it has also been carried by individuals of Peruvian descent to other parts of the world, reflecting the diaspora and migration patterns of Peruvian communities over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cajamarca

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

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

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

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