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

Couto, 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 Couto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Couto in America

Couto is the 10478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Couto surname appeared 3,066 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Couto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Couto 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 Couto

The surname Couto is of Portuguese origin, originating from the region of Portugal in the 15th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "couto," which means a territory exempt from the jurisdiction of the local lord or king, serving as a sanctuary or refuge. The name may have been given to someone who lived in or was associated with such a territorial enclave.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Couto dates back to the 16th century, when it appeared in the Livro de Linhagens, a Portuguese genealogical record. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time.

The name Couto has also been linked to various place names in Portugal, such as Couto de Baixo and Couto de Cima, which were likely named after the concept of a "couto" or sanctuary.

Among notable individuals who bore the surname Couto throughout history is João Couto (1470-1538), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who participated in the expeditions of Vasco da Gama to India. Another prominent figure was Manuel Couto (1579-1646), a Portuguese soldier and historian who served in India and authored the work "Decada da Asia."

In the 17th century, Pedro Couto (1610-1672) was a celebrated Portuguese painter known for his religious works and portraits. Centuries later, José Couto (1873-1951) gained recognition as a Portuguese writer and journalist, contributing significantly to the cultural landscape of his time.

It is worth mentioning that the surname Couto has also been found in Spanish-speaking regions, likely due to the historical connections between Portugal and Spain. One notable bearer of the name was Manuel Couto (1887-1957), a Cuban writer and journalist known for his literary works and contributions to the Cuban press.

Throughout its history, the surname Couto has maintained a strong presence in Portugal and other regions influenced by Portuguese culture, reflecting the significance of the concept of sanctuaries and territorial enclaves in the nation's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Couto

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

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

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

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