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

Cunha, 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 Cunha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cunha in America

Cunha is the 6555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cunha surname appeared 5,170 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cunha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cunha 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 Cunha

The surname Cunha is of Portuguese origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Portuguese word "cunha," which means "wedge" or "chisel." This occupational surname was likely originally given to someone who worked as a woodworker or stonemason, crafting items using wedges or chisels.

The name Cunha first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, during the time of the Portuguese Reconquista, when the Christian kingdoms were reclaiming territory from the Moors. Some of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in medieval charters and deeds from the regions of Minho and Trás-os-Montes in northern Portugal.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Cunha was Tristão da Cunha, a Portuguese explorer and naval officer. He is known for leading an expedition to the Indian Ocean in 1506, during which he discovered the remote islands that now bear his name, the Tristan da Cunha archipelago.

Another prominent individual with the Cunha surname was Nuno da Cunha, who served as the Governor of Portuguese India from 1529 to 1538. He played a significant role in strengthening Portugal's presence in the region and is credited with the construction of several fortifications and defensive structures.

In the 17th century, Pedro da Cunha (1629-1681) was a renowned Portuguese architect and engineer. He designed numerous notable buildings in Portugal, including the Church of São Roque and the Royal Palace of Mafra.

During the 19th century, Euclides da Cunha (1866-1909) was a Brazilian writer, sociologist, and journalist. He is best known for his seminal work "Os Sertões" (Rebellion in the Backlands), a pioneering work in the field of Brazilian literature and sociology.

Over the centuries, the surname Cunha has also been associated with various place names and locations in Portugal, such as Cunha Alta, Cunha Baixa, and Cunha Velha, which may have influenced the spread and popularity of the name in certain regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cunha

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

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

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

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