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

Coa, 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 Coa surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Coa in America

Coa is the 144908th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coa surname appeared 105 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Coa.

The history of the last name Coa

The surname Coa is believed to originate from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically rooted in regions that are now part of Spain and Portugal. The earliest instances of the surname can be traced back to the medieval period, roughly around the 12th or 13th century. The name Coa may derive from the Galician-Portuguese word "coa," meaning "stream," indicative of a geographical origin where early bearers of the name lived near small rivers or streams.

Medieval records and manuscripts from this period occasionally mention the surname in various documents related to land grants and local governance. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in a 1275 land transaction in the region of Galicia, Spain. The document lists a Don Fernando de Coa as a witness to the sale of a piece of land, marking one of the first documented uses of the surname.

The surname was also found in the neighboring nation of Portugal, where the noble family of Bento de Coa was recorded in the late 14th century. The house of Coa was known to have possessed lands along the Douro River, an area which complemented the meaning of their name. One notable figure from this lineage was João de Coa, born in 1386 and known for his participation in the Portuguese struggles against Moorish rebellions.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Coa maintained a localized presence but began to spread through migration. Historic documents like the Nobiliário de Famílias de Portugal, an extensive record of Portuguese nobility, retained entries on various members of the Coa family who had acquired wealth and social stature. For example, Maria Ana de Coa, born in 1543, became renowned due to her extensive charitable works and contributions to local monasteries in the area of Braga.

In addition to Iberian records, the surname occasionally found its way into Italian regions, likely through historical movements and intermarriages in Southern Europe. In the 17th century, the surname appears in ecclesiastical documents in Sicily, listing a Father Leonardo Coa, born in 1609, who served as a priest in the town of Agrigento.

Finally, during the era of European colonization, members of the Coa family migrated to the Americas, where the surname evolved slightly but remained recognizable. In the Caribbean, particularly in Cuba, immigration records from the 18th century list Captain Francisco de Coa, born in 1721, as an influential military figure in the region.

Throughout its history, the surname Coa has maintained its geographical and cultural roots while also expanding to other parts of the world through various historical movements. The name remains a testament to its origins, often symbolizing a connection to rivers and streams within its root regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coa

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Coa 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!