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

Canelas, 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 Canelas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Canelas in America

Canelas is the 50362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Canelas surname appeared 415 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 Canelas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Canelas 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 Canelas

The surname Canelas is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the regions of Castile and Aragon during the medieval period. It derives from the Spanish word "canela," which means "cinnamon," suggesting a possible connection to trades or occupations involving spices or related goods.

One of the earliest known references to the name Canelas can be found in the archives of the Kingdom of Aragon from the 13th century, where a certain Rodrigo Canelas is mentioned as a merchant dealing in spices imported from the Mediterranean region. This provides an early indication of the name's association with the spice trade.

In the 15th century, historical records from the city of Toledo mention a prominent family bearing the Canelas surname. These records indicate that the family owned several properties and businesses related to the trading of spices and other goods, further solidifying the name's connection to this industry.

The earliest recorded individual with the surname Canelas is Juan Canelas, born in 1492 in Seville, Andalusia. He was a renowned navigator and explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his third voyage to the Americas in 1498. His contributions to the exploration and mapping of the Caribbean islands during this expedition are well-documented.

Another notable figure in history was María Canelas, born in 1550 in Valencia. She was a respected scholar and writer who authored several treatises on the use of spices in traditional Valencian cuisine. Her works are considered some of the earliest comprehensive records of Spanish culinary practices involving the use of spices.

In the 17th century, the Canelas family established a presence in the Spanish colonies of the Americas, particularly in Mexico and Peru. One prominent member was Diego Canelas, born in 1625 in Lima, Peru. He was a successful merchant and landowner, known for his extensive trade network that brought spices and other goods from the East Indies to the Spanish colonies.

During the 19th century, the Canelas surname gained recognition in the field of literature. Joaquín Canelas, born in 1812 in Madrid, was a celebrated poet and playwright whose works explored themes of love, passion, and the human condition. His most renowned work, "Cantos de Amor y Pasión," is considered a masterpiece of Spanish Romantic poetry.

The name Canelas has also been associated with various place names throughout Spain and its former colonies. For example, there is a small town called Canelas in the province of Salamanca, and a municipality named Canelas de Almeida in the Alentejo region of Portugal, reflecting the geographic spread and persistence of this surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Canelas

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

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

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

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