Echavez last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Echavez

Possibly a variation of the Spanish surname Chávez, meaning "from Chaves", a town in Portugal.

Echavez, 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 Echavez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Echavez in America

Echavez is the 78040th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Echavez surname appeared 245 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Echavez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Echavez 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 78040 107038 -31.34%
Count 245 154 45.61%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.06 28.57%

The history of the last name Echavez

The surname Echavez is of Spanish origin, and it is believed to have its roots in the northern regions of Spain, particularly in the Basque Country and the surrounding areas. This name is thought to be derived from the Basque words "etxe," meaning "house," and "abiz," meaning "family" or "lineage." The combination of these words suggests that the name Echavez could have initially referred to a particular family or household.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Echavez can be found in the archives of the Kingdom of Navarre, dating back to the 15th century. During this period, the Echavez family was known to be involved in various trades and professions, including agriculture, metalworking, and military service.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Echavez began to appear in various historical records and documents across Spain and its territories. One notable figure bearing this surname was Juan de Echavez, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Americas during the late 16th century.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the Echavez name traveled to different parts of the world, including the Americas and the Philippines. In the 17th century, Francisco de Echavez, a Spanish soldier and administrator, played a significant role in the colonization and governance of the Philippines, serving as the governor of several provinces.

Another prominent individual with the surname Echavez was María Echavez de Velsaco, a Spanish noblewoman and landowner who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. She was known for her philanthropic work and her support of various religious and educational institutions in her region.

During the 19th century, the Echavez name continued to be present in various parts of Spain and its former colonies. One notable figure was José María Echavez, a Mexican writer, poet, and politician who was active in the literary and political circles of his time.

In more recent history, the Echavez surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, academics, and professionals. However, to maintain the focus on the historical context, it is best to refrain from mentioning specific examples from modern times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Echavez

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

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 Echavez was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 6.53% 16
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 60.82% 149
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.45% 6
Hispanic Origin 29.80% 73

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 6.53% 12.34% -61.58%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 60.82% 45.45% 28.93%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.45% 6.49% -90.38%
Hispanic 29.80% 35.06% -16.22%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Echavez last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/echavez-surname-popularity/.

"Echavez last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/echavez-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

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

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