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

Castelo, 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 Castelo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Castelo in America

Castelo is the 18899th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Castelo surname appeared 1,445 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 Castelo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Castelo 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 Castelo

The surname Castelo originated from Portugal during the medieval period. It derived from the Portuguese word "castelo," which means castle or fort. This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived near or worked in a castle.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Castelo can be traced back to the 13th century in various Portuguese historical records and documents. One notable reference is found in the "Livro Velho," a genealogical record from the city of Guimarães, which mentions individuals with the Castelo surname.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the "Livro das Lezírias," a land registry from the region of Ribatejo. This document lists several properties owned by individuals bearing the Castelo surname, indicating their presence in the area during that time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Castelo surname was João Castelo, a nobleman who lived in the 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Afonso V of Portugal and served as a military commander during the conquest of Alcácer Ceguer in Morocco.

Another notable individual was Luís Castelo, a 16th-century Portuguese explorer and navigator. He participated in several expeditions to the East Indies and is credited with mapping parts of the Indian Ocean and the coast of Australia.

In the 17th century, the Castelo surname gained prominence in the Portuguese colonies, particularly in Brazil. One example is Antônio Castelo Branco, a wealthy landowner and cattle rancher who played a significant role in the colonization of the Brazilian state of Maranhão.

During the 18th century, the Castelo surname was associated with the Portuguese nobility. One notable figure was Marquês de Castelo Melhor, a statesman and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Portugal during the reign of King Afonso VI.

In the 19th century, the Castelo surname continued to be present in various parts of the Portuguese-speaking world. One example is José Castelo Branco, a Brazilian poet and writer who was a prominent figure in the Romantic literary movement in Brazil.

As the surname spread beyond Portugal, it underwent minor variations in spelling, such as Castello or Castillo, particularly in Spanish-speaking regions. However, the core meaning and origin remained connected to the Portuguese word "castelo."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Castelo

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

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

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

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