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

Columbia, 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 Columbia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Columbia in America

Columbia is the 28049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Columbia surname appeared 854 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 Columbia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Columbia 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 Columbia

The surname COLUMBIA is derived from the name of the European explorer Christopher Columbus, who famously discovered the Americas in 1492. The name COLUMBIA references Columbia, a poetic name for the Americas derived from Columbus' name. It is believed that the surname originated in the late 15th or early 16th century, shortly after Columbus' voyages.

The name COLUMBIA was initially used as a place name or geographic term, referring to the lands claimed by Spain and other European powers in the New World. Over time, it evolved into a surname adopted by individuals or families with ties to these territories or a desire to honor the explorer's legacy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname COLUMBIA can be found in the writings of the Spanish historian and chronicler Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, who mentioned individuals bearing the name in his 1535 work "Historia General y Natural de las Indias." This suggests that the surname was already in use during the early colonial period in the Americas.

In the 17th century, the name COLUMBIA gained popularity in English-speaking regions, particularly in British North America. Notable individuals with the surname include John COLUMBIA, a merchant and landowner in Virginia born in 1620, and Sarah COLUMBIA, a Puritan settler in Massachusetts Bay Colony born in 1638.

As the United States gained independence and the concept of "Columbia" became associated with the young nation, the surname COLUMBIA became more widespread. Prominent figures include George COLUMBIA (1778-1842), a politician and diplomat who served as the U.S. Minister to Portugal, and Martha COLUMBIA (1802-1876), a celebrated author and activist for women's rights.

Other notable individuals with the surname COLUMBIA include Sir Robert COLUMBIA (1845-1923), a British explorer and author who wrote extensively about his travels in Africa and Asia, and Maria COLUMBIA (1887-1965), a Mexican artist and painter known for her vibrant depictions of indigenous culture.

Throughout its history, the surname COLUMBIA has been a reflection of the enduring legacy of Christopher Columbus and the exploration and settlement of the Americas. While its origins lie in the Spanish conquest, it has become a name embraced by diverse cultures and nationalities across the Western Hemisphere.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Columbia

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

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

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

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