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

Cortázar, 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 Cortázar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cortázar in America

Cortázar is the 33499th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cortázar surname appeared 681 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 Cortázar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cortázar 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 Cortázar

The surname Cortazar is of Spanish origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Spanish word "cortar," which means "to cut." The suffix "-ar" denotes a place or location, suggesting that the name may have been derived from a specific place where cutting or farming activities took place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cortazar can be found in historical documents from the 14th century in the region of Castile, Spain. It is likely that the name was initially adopted by families residing in or near an area known for its agricultural or forestry activities.

In the 15th century, the name Cortazar appeared in several municipal records and land registries in the Basque Country and Navarre regions of northern Spain. This suggests that the name had spread across different regions, potentially through migration or marriage alliances.

A notable figure bearing the Cortazar surname was Gonzalo Cortazar y Camino (1588-1668), a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Chile from 1623 to 1629. His tenure was marked by conflicts with indigenous communities and efforts to expand Spanish control in the region.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Julio Cortazar (1914-1984), an Argentine novelist and short story writer renowned for his innovative literary works, including "Rayuela" (Hopscotch) and "Las Armas Secretas" (The Secret Weapons). He is widely considered one of the most influential Latin American authors of the 20th century.

In the 18th century, the name Cortazar was recorded in historical documents from the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly in Mexico and Argentina. This reflects the widespread migration of Spanish settlers and the dissemination of surnames across the colonial territories.

Other notable individuals bearing the Cortazar surname include Juan Cortazar (1836-1919), a Mexican lawyer and politician who served as the Governor of Guanajuato, and Jaime Cortazar (1899-1969), a Chilean architect renowned for his contributions to the development of modern architecture in his country.

While the Cortazar surname has its roots in Spain, it has also been adopted and adapted by families in various parts of Latin America, reflecting the cultural and historical connections between these regions and their shared colonial heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cortázar

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

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

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

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