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

Cavazos, 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 Cavazos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cavazos in America

Cavazos is the 2084th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cavazos surname appeared 17,361 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Cavazos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cavazos 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 Cavazos

The surname Cavazos has its roots in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, dating back to the 16th century during the Spanish colonization of the region. It is believed to be a toponymic surname, derived from a place name, potentially linked to the word "cava," which means "cave" or "pit" in Spanish.

One possible theory suggests that the surname originated from a specific location, potentially a settlement or ranch, where there were notable caves or pits in the surrounding area. This geographic connection was then adopted as a surname by the families residing in or near that particular place.

While there are no definitive historical records or manuscripts that explicitly mention the earliest known bearers of the Cavazos surname, it is likely that the name emerged during the early stages of Spanish settlement in Nuevo León, which began in the late 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Cavazos can be found in the 18th century. José María Cavazos, born in 1786 in Monterrey, Nuevo León, was a prominent figure who served as a military officer during the Mexican War of Independence.

Another notable bearer of the Cavazos surname was Eugenio Cavazos, a Mexican lawyer and politician who lived from 1842 to 1904. He served as the Governor of Nuevo León from 1889 to 1891.

In the 19th century, Juan Ignacio Cavazos, born in 1854 in Monterrey, Nuevo León, made significant contributions to the field of education. He founded several schools and worked tirelessly to promote literacy in the region.

The Cavazos surname also has a connection to the United States, particularly in Texas. One prominent figure was Tomás Cavazos, born in 1892 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. He was a businessman and philanthropist who played a crucial role in the development of the Rio Grande Valley region in Texas.

Another notable individual was María Cristina Cavazos, a Mexican-American educator and civil rights activist born in 1936 in Kingsville, Texas. She dedicated her life to promoting educational opportunities and advocating for the rights of Hispanic Americans.

While the Cavazos surname has its origins in Mexico, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who have migrated or descended from those with Mexican roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cavazos

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

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

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

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