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

Cerda, 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 Cerda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cerda in America

Cerda is the 2035th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cerda surname appeared 17,703 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 Cerda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cerda 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 Cerda

The surname Cerda has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "cerda," which means "bristle" or "coarse hair," likely referring to a person's physical appearance or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cerda can be found in the 13th century, when it was associated with the noble Castilian family of Lara, who held significant power and influence during the reign of King Alfonso X. The House of Cerda, a cadet branch of the Lara family, played a crucial role in the political and military affairs of the kingdom.

The name Cerda is also linked to several place names in Spain, such as Cerda, a municipality in the province of Valladolid, and Cerdanyola del Vallès, a town near Barcelona. These place names may have influenced the surname or vice versa, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 14th century, the name Cerda gained prominence with Juan Núñez de Lara y Cerda (1313-1347), a powerful nobleman and military leader who served as the Lord of Lara and Vizcaya. He played a significant role in the War of the Two Peters, a conflict between Pedro I of Castile and Pedro IV of Aragon.

Another notable figure bearing the Cerda surname was Tomás Cerda y Aranda (1630-1692), a Spanish theologian and Bishop of Cádiz and Algeciras. He was known for his contributions to Catholic theology and his involvement in the Spanish Inquisition.

In the 18th century, José Cerda y Rico (1756-1828) was a prominent Spanish naval officer and explorer. He participated in several expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and contributed to the mapping and exploration of the American Northwest Coast.

During the 19th century, the Cerda surname gained literary significance with the Spanish writer and philosopher Ildefonso Cerdà y Sunyer (1815-1876), known as the father of modern urbanism. He was the pioneer of the concept of urban planning and designed the Eixample district in Barcelona, a model for urban expansion.

The surname Cerda has also been associated with figures in art and culture, such as the Cuban painter Leopoldo Romañach Cerda (1862-1951), renowned for his landscapes and portraiture, and the Spanish film director Rodrigo Cortés Cerda (born 1973), known for his thriller films.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cerda

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

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

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

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