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

Cantara, 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 Cantara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cantara in America

Cantara is the 36204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cantara surname appeared 619 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 Cantara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cantara 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 Cantara

The surname Cantara traces its origins back to the Italian peninsula during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have been derived from the Italian word "cantare," meaning "to sing." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to singers, musicians, or those associated with the musical arts.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Cantara can be found in medieval documents and records from the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. These regions were renowned for their rich cultural traditions, including music and the arts. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name Cantara were musicians or performers who likely adopted the surname as a means of identifying their profession.

One of the earliest known records of the name Cantara appears in a 14th-century document from the city of Florence, which mentions a certain "Giovanni Cantara," a renowned lute player who performed at the court of the Medici family. Another notable figure from this period was "Lucrezia Cantara" (c. 1455-1512), a celebrated singer and composer from Perugia, whose works were widely admired throughout Italy.

As the name Cantara spread across Italy, it also became associated with various place names. For instance, there is a small village called "Cantara" in the province of Terni, Umbria, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region.

Throughout the centuries, the Cantara surname has been borne by several notable individuals, including:

1. Gaspare Cantara (c. 1590-1667), an Italian painter and architect from Naples, known for his contributions to the Baroque style.
2. Domenico Cantara (1730-1806), an Italian composer and violinist from Naples, who served as the court musician to the King of Naples.
3. Antonio Cantara (1859-1934), an Italian politician and lawyer from Sicily, who served as a member of the Italian Parliament.
4. Emilia Cantara (1885-1968), an Italian operatic soprano who performed extensively in Italy and across Europe in the early 20th century.
5. Giorgio Cantara (1923-2001), an Italian writer and journalist from Rome, known for his works on Italian culture and history.

While the Cantara surname is not among the most common in Italy, it remains a testament to the country's rich musical and cultural heritage, as well as the diverse occupations and places that have influenced its evolution over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cantara

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

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

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

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