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

Carabajal, 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 Carabajal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carabajal in America

Carabajal is the 18971st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carabajal surname appeared 1,438 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 Carabajal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carabajal 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 Carabajal

The surname Carabajal is of Spanish origin, originating from the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "al-qar'a," meaning "the summit" or "the peak," and "bajal," meaning "foothills" or "base." This combination suggests that the name may have originated from a geographical location or a place name describing a settlement situated near a mountain or hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Carabajal can be found in the "Memorias" (Memoirs) of King Alfonso XI of Castile, dated around the 14th century. This historical document references a nobleman named Gonzalo Carabajal, who served as a military commander during the king's reign.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname Carabajal was Fray Luis de Carabajal, a Spanish Franciscan friar and missionary who traveled to the New World. He played a significant role in the evangelization efforts in Mexico and was known for his efforts in defending the rights of indigenous populations.

During the Spanish Golden Age, the Carabajal family was well-established in the region of Extremadura, Spain. One notable member was Luis de Carabajal, a wealthy merchant and converso (a person of Jewish descent who converted to Christianity) who was executed during the Spanish Inquisition in the late 16th century for practicing Judaism in secret.

In the 17th century, Juan de Carabajal y Sande was a Spanish military officer and governor of Havana, Cuba, from 1676 to 1680. He played a crucial role in the defense of the island against pirate attacks and fortified the city's defenses.

Another noteworthy figure was Diego Carabajal y Cuenca, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who served as the Governor of Chile from 1670 to 1677. He was known for his efforts in defending the colonial territories against indigenous uprisings and his contributions to the development of the region.

While the surname Carabajal has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Spanish exploration and colonization. Today, the name can be found in countries with significant Spanish heritage, such as Mexico, Argentina, and parts of Central and South America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carabajal

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

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

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

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