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

Cea, 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 Cea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cea in America

Cea is the 20739th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cea surname appeared 1,275 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 Cea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cea 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 Cea

The surname Cea is of Spanish origin, stemming from the northern regions of the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "ceia," which referred to a type of local grass or plant commonly found in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cea surname can be traced back to the 12th century, where it appeared in various local records and charters from the Kingdom of León. Notably, a certain Rodrigo Cea was mentioned as a landowner and nobleman in a document dated 1175.

In the following centuries, the Cea name began to spread across other parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Castile and Aragon. During this time, the surname underwent slight variations in spelling, with forms such as "Ceia" and "Ceya" also being documented.

A notable historical figure bearing the Cea surname was Pedro Cea, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Born around 1490 in Extremadura, Pedro Cea played a crucial role in several battles against the Aztec Empire and was later granted encomiendas (land grants) in recognition of his service.

Another prominent individual with the Cea surname was Juan Cea, a renowned architect and master builder who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was responsible for the construction of several significant architectural works, including portions of the Cathedral of Seville and the Alcázar of Seville, which are considered masterpieces of Mudéjar architecture.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contributions of Juan Cea Bermúdez, a Spanish poet and playwright from the 16th century. Born in Seville around 1540, Cea Bermúdez gained recognition for his works, which included plays, sonnets, and religious poetry.

Moving forward to the 18th century, José Cea Naharro, a Spanish military officer and engineer, made a name for himself through his involvement in various fortification projects across Spain and its territories. He was born in Madrid in 1720 and played a crucial role in the design and construction of several defensive structures, including the fortifications of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

As the centuries progressed, the Cea surname continued to be represented in various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts, with notable figures such as the 19th-century Spanish politician Benigno Andrés Cea and the 20th-century Peruvian writer and critic José Miguel Cea.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cea

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

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

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

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