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

Cangas, 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 Cangas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cangas in America

Cangas is the 73215th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cangas surname appeared 265 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 Cangas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cangas 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 Cangas

The surname Cangas is of Spanish origin, with its roots tracing back to the small town of Cangas in the province of Pontevedra, Galicia, located in northwestern Spain. The name is believed to have derived from the Latin word "cancae," which means "boundary stones" or "boundary markers," suggesting that the town's name may have originated from the presence of such markers delineating its borders.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Cangas can be found in medieval Spanish records, with several individuals bearing the name appearing in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. Notably, the Cangas name was mentioned in the "Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla," a significant legal document from the 14th century that catalogued the settlements and landholdings in the region of Castile.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Cangas surname was Gonzalo Rodríguez de Cangas, a prominent nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and served as a knight in the court of King Alfonso X of Castile. Another notable figure was Juan de Cangas, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493.

During the 16th century, the Cangas surname gained further prominence with the birth of Pedro de Cangas (1510-1590), a renowned Spanish architect and engineer who played a significant role in the construction of several notable buildings and fortifications in Spain and its colonies. His most famous work was the design and construction of the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida, which was built between 1672 and 1695 and remains an iconic landmark today.

In the realm of literature, the Spanish writer and poet Lope de Cangas (1546-1615) was a celebrated figure during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His works, which included plays, poems, and novels, were widely read and admired during his lifetime and contributed significantly to the development of Spanish literary traditions.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the Cangas surname was María de Cangas (1642-1723), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Monasterio de la Concepción in Madrid. She was renowned for her spiritual writings and her dedication to religious life, earning her a reputation for piety and devotion throughout Spain.

While the Cangas surname has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries with significant Spanish heritage and influence. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above demonstrate the rich legacy and significance of this surname within the context of Spanish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cangas

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

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

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

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