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

Cierra, 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 Cierra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cierra in America

Cierra is the 66931st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cierra surname appeared 295 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 Cierra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cierra 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 Cierra

The surname Cierra has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "sierra," which means "mountain range" or "saw." The name may have been given to individuals who lived near a mountainous area or worked as sawyers or lumberjacks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Cierra can be found in the historical records of Seville, Spain, from the 14th century. It is mentioned in a document dated 1387, which refers to a certain Juan de la Cierra, a landowner in the region.

In the 15th century, the Cierra family gained prominence in the city of Valladolid, where they were involved in various trades and professions. Notable members of the family during this time include Rodrigo Cierra, a successful merchant born in 1442, and Isabel Cierra, a renowned scholar and educator who lived from 1487 to 1562.

As the centuries passed, the Cierra surname spread to other parts of Spain and eventually to the Americas during the Spanish colonization. In the 17th century, a branch of the Cierra family settled in the region of Nuevo León, Mexico, where they established themselves as landowners and ranchers.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Cierra was Alonso Cierra, a Spanish explorer and navigator born in 1593. He was part of the expedition led by Sebastián Vizcaíno, which explored the Pacific coast of California in the early 1600s. Alonso Cierra is credited with naming several landmarks along the California coast, including Cierra Point and Cierra Bay.

Another notable figure was María Cierra, a Spanish painter born in 1628 in Seville. She gained recognition for her religious paintings and portraits, and her works can be found in various churches and museums throughout Spain.

In the 19th century, the Cierra name appeared in literary circles with the writer and poet Manuel Cierra, born in 1812 in Granada. His collection of poems, titled "Cantos del Sur" (Songs of the South), became widely acclaimed and established him as a prominent figure in Spanish literature.

Throughout its history, the surname Cierra has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, from landowners and merchants to explorers, artists, and writers. While its exact origin and meaning may have evolved over time, the name continues to carry the legacy of its Spanish roots and the connection to the rugged landscapes and mountains that inspired its inception.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cierra

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

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

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

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