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

Canul, 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 Canul surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Canul in America

Canul is the 30946th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Canul surname appeared 751 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 Canul.

We can also compare 2010 data for Canul 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 Canul

The surname CANUL has its origins in the Yucatan region of Mexico, dating back to the ancient Maya civilization. It is believed to be derived from the Maya word "kan," meaning "yellow" or "golden," and "uul," meaning "land" or "earth." Together, the word "kanuul" could have referred to the fertile, golden-colored soil found in certain areas of the Yucatan Peninsula.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CANUL surname is found in a 16th-century codex, a Maya book written on bark paper, which mentions a noble family with this name. The codex suggests that the CANUL family held positions of power and influence within their communities during the late postclassic period of Maya civilization (1200-1519 CE).

In the decades following the Spanish conquest of the Yucatan in the 16th century, the CANUL surname appears in various colonial records and documents, often in reference to Maya individuals who had converted to Catholicism or were involved in the newly established Spanish colonial system.

A notable figure bearing the CANUL surname was Gaspar Antonio Chi Xiu y Cauich Canul (1770-1825), a Maya leader and rebel who fought against Spanish rule in the Yucatan during the early 19th century. His uprising, known as the Caste War of Yucatan, aimed to restore Maya autonomy and traditions in the region.

Another prominent individual with the CANUL surname was Manuel Canul Ley (1900-1984), a Maya archaeologist and researcher who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Maya culture and history. His works focused on the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza and the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphic writing.

In the 20th century, Alfredo Barrera Vasquez Canul (1912-1997) was a respected Maya linguist and educator who worked to preserve and promote the Maya language and culture. He published numerous works on Maya grammar, vocabulary, and literature, and played a crucial role in establishing Maya language programs in schools throughout the Yucatan.

The CANUL surname can also be traced back to various Maya place names and settlements in the Yucatan Peninsula, such as the town of Canul, located in the municipality of Calkiní. This town's name likely derives from the same Maya root words as the surname, reflecting the connection between the CANUL family and the fertile lands they inhabited.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Canul

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

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

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

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