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

Cardenas, 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 Cardenas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cardenas in America

Cardenas is the 418th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cardenas surname appeared 77,652 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 26 people would have the surname Cardenas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cardenas 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 Cardenas

The surname Cardenas originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "cardena," which means "bruise" or "bluish discoloration." This could refer to a person who had a distinctive physical feature, such as a birthmark or scar.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Cardenas can be found in the region of Andalusia, particularly in the provinces of Seville and Cadiz. Some historians suggest that the name may have originated from a place name or a family estate in this area.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Cardenas surname was Alonso de Cardenas, a Spanish nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was mentioned in several medieval documents and chronicles as a prominent figure in the court of King Alfonso XI of Castile.

Another notable figure was Gutierre de Cardenas, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. He was one of Hernán Cortés's captains and played a significant role in the fall of Tenochtitlán (present-day Mexico City) in 1521.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cardenas surname spread to various parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Americas. One prominent individual was Diego de Cardenas, a Spanish explorer who led an expedition through the Grand Canyon region in present-day Arizona in 1540.

In the 18th century, José de Cardenas was a Spanish naval officer and cartographer who contributed to the mapping of the Pacific Coast of North America. He commanded several expeditions along the California coast between 1792 and 1795.

Another notable bearer of the Cardenas surname was Manuel Cardenas, a Mexican revolutionary and politician who played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920. He served as the interim governor of the state of Coahuila from 1913 to 1914.

Throughout history, the Cardenas surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, explorers, military leaders, and politicians. While the origins of the name can be traced back to medieval Spain, it has since spread to many parts of the world, particularly in Latin American countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cardenas

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

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

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

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