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

Castilla, 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 Castilla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Castilla in America

Castilla is the 14427th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Castilla surname appeared 2,071 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Castilla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Castilla 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 Castilla

The surname Castilla originates from the Spanish region of Castile, which was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Latin word "castellum," meaning "castle" or "fortified place." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked in castles or fortified areas.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Castilla can be traced back to the 12th century, during the height of the Reconquista, the lengthy period of conflict between Christian and Moorish forces in the Iberian Peninsula. It is likely that the name was first adopted by individuals or families who played a role in the defense or administration of the various castles and fortified towns that dotted the landscape of medieval Castile.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Castilla was Rodrigo Jiménez de Castilla, a Spanish knight and military leader who fought alongside King Ferdinand III during the conquest of Córdoba in 1236. Another prominent individual was Garci Fernández de Castilla, a nobleman and military commander who participated in the conquest of Seville in 1248.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Castilla surname gained further prominence as members of this family rose to positions of power and influence within the kingdoms of Castile and León. One notable example is Álvaro de Castilla, a 15th-century Spanish nobleman who served as a trusted advisor to King Juan II of Castile.

In the 16th century, the name Castilla was closely associated with the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas. Pedro de Castilla, a Spanish conquistador, accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico and played a significant role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 1520s.

Another historical figure bearing the Castilla surname was Juan de Castilla, a 16th-century Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Americas and the Philippines. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the globe, the Castilla surname traveled with it, establishing a presence in various regions and leaving an indelible mark on the history and culture of many nations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Castilla

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

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

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

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