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

Cartagena, 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 Cartagena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cartagena in America

Cartagena is the 4184th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cartagena surname appeared 8,467 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Cartagena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cartagena 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 Cartagena

The surname Cartagena originated in Spain, with its roots tracing back to the city of Cartagena, located in the autonomous community of Murcia. This city was founded by the Carthaginians in 227 BC, and its name is derived from the Punic word "Qart Hadasht," which translates to "New City."

In the early Middle Ages, after the Reconquista, the city of Cartagena became a significant naval base and port for the Kingdom of Castile. During this time, many families adopted the surname Cartagena to signify their association with the city or their origin from the region.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Cartagena can be found in the "Libro de Repartimiento," a historical document from the 13th century that detailed the distribution of land and properties in the newly conquered territories of the Kingdom of Valencia.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Cartagena throughout history. One such figure was Alonso de Cartagena (1384-1456), a Spanish scholar, diplomat, and Bishop of Burgos, who played a crucial role in the Council of Basel and the controversy surrounding the Immaculate Conception.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Juan de Cartagena (fl. 1450), a Spanish poet and translator who was highly regarded for his translations of classical works into Castilian.

In the 16th century, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés (1478-1557), a Spanish historian and author, mentioned the Cartagena family in his work "Historia General y Natural de las Indias," which chronicled the early Spanish colonization of the Americas.

Additionally, Pedro de Cartagena (1425-1486) was a Spanish philosopher and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Salamanca and contributed to the development of scholastic thought in Spain.

In the 17th century, Juan de Cartagena y Garcés (1592-1654) was a notable Spanish painter and engraver, known for his religious works and contributions to the Baroque style.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Cartagena throughout history, reflecting its deep roots and significance in the Spanish cultural and historical landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cartagena

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

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

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

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