Curiel last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Curiel

A Spanish surname derived from the Catalan word "curiel," meaning a type of squirrel with reddish-gray fur.

Curiel, 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 Curiel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Curiel in America

Curiel is the 3571st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Curiel surname appeared 9,983 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Curiel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Curiel 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 3571 4307 -18.68%
Count 9,983 7,621 26.83%
Proportion per 100k 3.38 2.83 17.71%

The history of the last name Curiel

The surname Curiel has its origins in Spain and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "curiel," which refers to a type of fine woolen cloth that was commonly produced in the region of Castile during that time period. The name is thought to have been adopted by individuals who were involved in the production or trade of this particular fabric.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Curiel can be found in the archives of the city of Cuenca, where a document from 1492 mentions a certain Juan Curiel, a merchant who was engaged in the sale of woolen textiles. This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by the late 15th century.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the Curiel surname can be found in various historical records and documents from different regions of Spain. For example, in the archives of the city of Seville, there are references to several individuals with the surname Curiel who were involved in various trades and professions, such as tailors, merchants, and artisans.

One notable bearer of the Curiel surname was Diego Curiel, a Spanish philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 16th century. He was born in Seville in 1555 and is known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy, including his treatise "De Iustitia et Iure" (On Justice and Law).

Another prominent figure with the Curiel surname was Gaspar Curiel, a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. He was born in Seville in 1490 and joined the expedition led by Hernán Cortés in 1519. Curiel played a significant role in the conquest of Mexico and was later rewarded with land grants and titles for his service.

In the 18th century, the Curiel surname can be found in various records from the Spanish colonies in the Americas. For instance, there are references to a Pedro Curiel, who was a landowner and plantation owner in Cuba during the late 1700s.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable bearer of the Curiel surname was José Curiel, a Spanish military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1851 to 1853. He was born in Cádiz, Spain, in 1799 and played a significant role in the administration of the island during his tenure as governor.

While the Curiel surname is most commonly associated with Spain and its former colonies, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. Today, individuals with the surname Curiel can be found in various countries, including Mexico, Argentina, and the United States, where it has been adopted by people of Hispanic descent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Curiel

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

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 Curiel was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 4.53% 452
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.27% 27
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.25% 25
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.08% 8
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.17% 17
Hispanic Origin 94.70% 9,454

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 Curiel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 4.53% 5.24% -14.53%
Black 0.27% 0.21% 25.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.25% 0.28% -11.32%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.08% 0.21% -89.66%
Two or More Races 0.17% 0.29% -52.17%
Hispanic 94.70% 93.78% 0.98%

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

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

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"Curiel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/curiel-surname-popularity/.

"Curiel last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/curiel-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Curiel last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/curiel-surname-popularity/.

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