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

Cerritos, 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 Cerritos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cerritos in America

Cerritos is the 16876th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cerritos surname appeared 1,689 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 Cerritos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cerritos 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 Cerritos

The surname Cerritos originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "cerrito," which means "little hill" or "small mound." The name likely referred to a person who lived near or owned a small hill or mound.

This surname has its roots in the mountainous regions of central and northern Spain, particularly in areas such as Castile and Leon, where the terrain is characterized by rolling hills and small elevations. The earliest recorded instances of the name Cerritos can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various Spanish documents and records.

One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Pedro Cerritos, a nobleman who lived in the region of Castile in the late 13th century. His name appears in several historical documents related to land grants and property transactions during that time period.

In the 15th century, the name Cerritos was also found in the records of the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule. Juan Cerritos, a soldier from Aragon, was mentioned in chronicles for his valor in battles against the Moors during the reign of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile.

As the Spanish colonized the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Cerritos spread across the Spanish territories. One notable figure was Diego Cerritos, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru under Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.

In the late 18th century, a prominent individual named Mariana Cerritos gained recognition as a influential writer and poet in Madrid. Her works, which often explored themes of nature and the beauty of the Spanish countryside, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.

Throughout history, the name Cerritos has maintained its connection to geographic features and the natural landscape, reflecting its origins as a descriptive surname referring to small hills or mounds. While not as widespread as some other Spanish surnames, it has left its mark across various regions and historical periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cerritos

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

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

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

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