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

Colón, 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 Colón surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colón in America

Colón is the 497th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colón surname appeared 67,338 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 23 people would have the surname Colón.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colón 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 Colón

The surname Colon has its origins in Spain, specifically in the regions of Aragon and Catalonia, where it first appeared in the late 13th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "colón," which means "colonist" or "settler." This suggests that the name was likely initially given to those who were among the first settlers in a particular area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Colon can be found in the Siete Partidas, a renowned legal code compiled in Spain during the reign of Alfonso X in the 13th century. This document mentions individuals with the surname Colon, indicating its presence in the region at that time.

The name Colon is also closely linked to the famous explorer Christopher Columbus, whose real name was Cristóbal Colón. Born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy, Columbus is renowned for his voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, which led to the European discovery of the Americas. His surname, Colón, is a Spanish adaptation of the Italian "Colombo," which also means "colonist" or "dove."

Another notable historical figure with the surname Colon was Juan de Colón, the son of Christopher Columbus. He was born in 1467 and played a crucial role in preserving and defending his father's legacy and rights after his death.

In the 16th century, the Colon family established themselves in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One prominent member was Diego Colón, who was born in 1479 and became the governor of the Indies and the viceroy of the West Indies.

The name Colon has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For instance, the city of Colón in Panama was named after Christopher Columbus, reflecting the influence of this famous explorer and his surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Colon include Jerónimo Colón, a Spanish navigator and cartographer from the 16th century, and Miguel Colón, a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

Overall, the surname Colon has a rich history rooted in the Spanish colonization and exploration efforts, with connections to influential figures like Christopher Columbus and his descendants, as well as a presence in various regions of Spain and its former colonies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colón

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

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

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

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