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

Contero, 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 Contero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Contero in America

Contero is the 120901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Contero surname appeared 143 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 Contero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Contero 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 Contero

The surname Contero originated in Spain during the medieval period, derived from the Spanish word "contero," which referred to a maker or seller of knife sheaths or scabbards. This occupation-based surname was likely adopted by individuals or families involved in the production or trade of these leather goods.

The earliest recorded instances of the Contero surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, particularly in the areas around Catalonia, Valencia, and Aragon. Historical records from this time period, such as municipal archives and church registers, often list individuals bearing this surname.

One notable example is Juan Contero, a leatherworker from Barcelona, who was mentioned in a guild record from the year 1287. Another early reference can be found in the "Libro de la Cadena" (Book of the Chain), a historical document from the city of Jaca, which includes the name Rodrigo Contero in an entry dated 1312.

During the 15th century, the Contero surname spread to other parts of Spain, including Andalusia and Castile. In 1459, a certain Pedro Contero was listed as a resident of Seville in a census record maintained by the local authorities.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals bearing the Contero surname have achieved notable positions or recognition. One such example is Alonso Contero, a 16th-century Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico. Another notable figure was Gaspar Contero, a 17th-century playwright and poet from Seville, who gained recognition for his works in the Spanish Golden Age.

In the 18th century, the Contero surname can be found in various parts of the Spanish Empire, as some individuals with this name ventured to the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Manuel Contero, a Spanish soldier and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Nueva Vizcaya (present-day Mexico) from 1762 to 1767.

As the Contero surname traveled beyond Spain's borders, it also took on variations in spelling and pronunciation, reflecting the linguistic influences of other regions. For instance, in parts of Latin America, the surname may be written as "Conteiro" or "Contere," adapting to local dialects and naming conventions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Contero

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Contero, 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!