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

Contras, 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 Contras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Contras in America

Contras is the 63698th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Contras surname appeared 313 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 Contras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Contras 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 Contras

The surname Contras has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "contra," which means "against" or "opposite." This suggests that the name may have been associated with those who resided near or opposite a particular landmark or location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Contras surname can be found in the baptismal records of the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor in Seville, Spain, where a certain Pedro Contras was mentioned in 1582. This indicates that the name was already established in the region during that time period.

In the late 17th century, the Contras name appeared in various documents related to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. For instance, a Juan Contras was listed as a settler in the region of Nueva Vizcaya (present-day Mexico) in 1687.

During the 18th century, the Contras surname gained prominence in the Spanish-controlled territories of the Caribbean. One notable figure was Tomás Contras (1725-1792), a wealthy plantation owner and merchant based in Havana, Cuba.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the globe, the Contras name spread to different corners of the world. In the 19th century, a prominent figure was Alejandro Contras (1823-1891), a Spanish explorer and cartographer who participated in various expeditions to Africa and the Pacific Islands.

Another historical figure was María Contras (1854-1932), a Spanish author and feminist who advocated for women's rights and education. Her works, including "La Mujer en la Sociedad Moderna" (The Woman in Modern Society), became influential in the early 20th century.

In more recent times, the Contras surname has been associated with the Nicaraguan Contras, a rebel group that fought against the Sandinista government during the Nicaraguan Revolution in the 1980s. However, this usage is distinct from the surname's original Spanish roots.

While the Contras name may have evolved and dispersed globally over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Spanish-speaking regions of Europe and the Americas, where it held significance as a surname with a rich historical lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Contras

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

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

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

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