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

Coca, 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 Coca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coca in America

Coca is the 13955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coca surname appeared 2,162 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 Coca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coca 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 Coca

The surname Coca originated from the Spanish region of Catalonia during the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Catalan word "coca," which means "bread" or "cake." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a baker or was associated with the baking industry.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Coca can be found in the archives of the town of Perpignan, located in the Roussillon region of Catalonia. In a document dated 1375, a certain Pere Coca is mentioned as a resident of the town. This document provides valuable insight into the antiquity of the name and its widespread use in the region.

During the 15th century, the name Coca appeared in various manuscripts and records across Catalonia and the neighboring regions of Aragon and Valencia. One notable example is the mention of a Jaume Coca in a land registry of the city of Barcelona, dated 1472.

As the centuries passed, the name Coca spread beyond its Catalan roots. In the 16th century, it found its way to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, where it was adopted by individuals of Spanish descent. One prominent figure from this era was Diego de Coca, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.

In the 17th century, the name Coca gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of Gaspar de Coca y Velasco (1589-1659), a Spanish playwright and poet. His works, which included plays and religious poetry, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and contributed to the cultural legacy of the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

Another notable bearer of the name Coca was Joaquín de Coca y Argiz (1784-1852), a Spanish military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1832 to 1837. His tenure was marked by significant reforms and infrastructure development in the island colony.

As the 19th century progressed, the Coca surname continued to be found in various parts of Spain and its former colonies. One prominent figure from this era was Mateo de Coca y Lucio (1801-1868), a Spanish lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Justice and Interior Affairs during the reign of Queen Isabella II.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Coca throughout history, showcasing its rich heritage and diverse backgrounds.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coca

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

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

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

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