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

Díaz de León, 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 Díaz de León surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Díaz de León in America

Díaz de León is the 15639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Díaz de León surname appeared 1,868 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 Díaz de León.

We can also compare 2010 data for Díaz de León 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 Díaz de León

The surname DIAZDELEON has its origins in Spain, likely emerging during the Middle Ages or shortly after the Reconquista. It is a compound surname, formed by the combination of two distinct elements: "Diaz" and "de Leon."

The first part, "Diaz," is a patronymic surname derived from the Spanish given name "Diego." This name has its roots in the Latin name "Didacus," which ultimately traces back to the Greek name "Didakos." Patronymic surnames were common in medieval Spain and were used to denote a person's lineage by referring to their father's given name.

The second part, "de Leon," is a locative surname, indicating a connection to the city or region of León in northwestern Spain. This region was an important center during the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms gradually reclaimed territory from Moorish rule. The name "León" is derived from the Latin word "legio," meaning "legion," referring to the Roman legions that were once stationed in the area.

Historical records suggest that the DIAZDELEON surname may have first appeared in the 13th or 14th century. During this time, many individuals began to adopt fixed surnames, often based on their place of origin, occupation, or familial relationships.

One of the earliest known individuals with the DIAZDELEON surname was Pedro Diaz de Leon, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Another notable figure was Juan Diaz de Leon, a Spanish explorer and navigator who led expeditions to the Gulf of Mexico in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, a prominent member of the DIAZDELEON family was Diego Diaz de Leon, a Spanish military officer and governor of the province of Nuevo León in what is now northeastern Mexico. His son, Gaspar Diaz de Leon, followed in his footsteps and served as the governor of the same province in the late 17th century.

Another individual of historical significance was José Diaz de Leon, a Mexican military officer and politician who played a crucial role in the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century. He served as a general in the revolutionary army and later held various political positions.

Throughout its history, the DIAZDELEON surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, explorers, politicians, and professionals. While the specific origins and early bearers of this surname may be obscured by the passage of time, its enduring presence reflects the rich cultural heritage and diverse narratives woven into the tapestry of Spanish and Mexican history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Díaz de León

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Díaz de León.

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 Díaz de León 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 Díaz de León 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 Díaz de León was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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