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

Cuenca, 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 Cuenca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cuenca in America

Cuenca is the 9611th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cuenca surname appeared 3,381 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 Cuenca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cuenca 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 Cuenca

The surname Cuenca originates from Spain, specifically the region of Castile-La Mancha. It can be traced back to the 12th century and is derived from the Spanish word "cuenca," which means "basin" or "valley." The name likely referred to people who lived in or near a valley or basin-shaped area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Cuenca can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval Spanish manuscript from the 14th century that documented the ownership of lands and properties. The name was also mentioned in various other historical records from the region, such as parish registers and land deeds.

The city of Cuenca in Spain, located in the province of Castile-La Mancha, is believed to have contributed to the widespread use of the surname. The city's name itself is derived from the Latin word "concha," meaning "shell" or "basin," referring to its location in a valley surrounded by mountains.

One notable individual with the surname Cuenca was Pedro de Cuenca, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived in the late 15th century and early 16th century. His works can be found in various churches and cathedrals across Spain.

Another prominent figure was Juan de Cuenca, a Spanish military officer and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands in the late 15th century. He later became the governor of the island of Gran Canaria.

In the 16th century, Diego de Cuenca was a Spanish Dominican friar and theologian who played a significant role in the Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation. He participated in the Council of Trent and authored several works on theology and philosophy.

During the 17th century, Juan de Cuenca y Hurtado was a Spanish painter known for his religious works, particularly his altarpieces and church decorations in various cities across Spain.

In the 18th century, Álvaro de Cuenca was a Spanish military leader who served as the governor of Chile from 1762 to 1768, playing a crucial role in the administration of the Spanish colonial territories in South America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cuenca

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

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

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

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