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

Céspedes, 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 Céspedes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Céspedes in America

Céspedes is the 6558th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Céspedes surname appeared 5,168 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Céspedes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Céspedes 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 Céspedes

The surname Cespedes originated in Spain, specifically in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura. It is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "qaysabah," which means "reed" or "reed-bed." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or worked in areas with an abundance of reeds.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, during the time of the Reconquista, when Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula were reclaiming territories from the Moors. As the Reconquista progressed, many Moors adopted Spanish surnames, including Cespedes, to integrate into the new Christian society.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Cespedes can be found in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document from 1253 that recorded the distribution of land and properties in Seville after its conquest by the Christian forces led by King Ferdinand III of Castile.

In the 15th century, Pablo de Cespedes (1538-1608) was a renowned Spanish Renaissance painter, sculptor, and architect. He was known for his works in the Mannerist style and his contributions to the development of Spanish art during the Golden Age.

Another notable figure was Gonzalo de Cespedes y Meneses (1585-1638), a Spanish writer, poet, and humanist scholar. He was a member of the Royal Spanish Academy and is best known for his literary works, including the novel "Poema trágico del español Gerardo y desengaño del amor lascivo."

In the 18th century, Juan de Cespedes y Velasco (1714-1784) was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Cuba from 1781 to 1784, during which time he implemented various reforms and initiatives to improve the island's defenses and infrastructure.

In the 19th century, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes (1819-1874) was a Cuban planter and lawyer who is regarded as the "Father of the Cuban Homeland." He initiated the Ten Years' War in 1868, which marked the beginning of Cuba's struggle for independence from Spanish rule.

More recently, Yoenis Cespedes (born 1985) is a Cuban-born professional baseball player who has played for several Major League Baseball teams, including the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets. He is known for his impressive power hitting and has been selected to multiple All-Star teams.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Céspedes

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

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

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

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