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

Elicea, 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 Elicea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elicea in America

Elicea is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elicea surname appeared 125 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 Elicea.

The history of the last name Elicea

The surname Elicea has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, tracing back to the 8th century. It is believed to have derived from the Basque words "eli" (church) and "zea" (field), suggesting a connection to a specific geographic location or property near a church field.

The earliest documented record of the name Elicea appears in the Cartulary of the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in Rioja, Spain, dated around 950 AD. This medieval manuscript mentions an individual named Lope Elicea, who was a landowner in the region.

In the 11th century, the Elicea surname gained prominence in the Kingdom of Navarre, where several members of the family held influential positions. Notably, Rodrigo Elicea served as a royal advisor to King Sancho III of Navarre (1004-1035).

During the 13th century, the name Elicea spread across the Pyrenees into southwestern France, particularly in the region of Béarn. Historical records from this period, such as the Fors de Béarn, a legal code from 1288, mention individuals with the surname Elicea.

One of the most renowned figures bearing the Elicea surname was Juan Elicea (1450-1523), a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Juan Elicea is credited with being among the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and Dominican Republic).

Another notable individual was María Elicea (1602-1678), a Spanish noblewoman from Guipúzcoa who played a significant role in the establishment of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in San Sebastián.

In the 18th century, the Elicea surname gained prominence in the Americas, particularly in Spanish colonial territories. One example is Sebastián Elicea (1720-1789), a landowner and rancher in present-day Argentina, who established the Estancia Elicea, one of the earliest cattle ranches in the region.

Throughout its history, variations of the spelling have included Elicea, Elizia, and Elicehea, often reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elicea

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

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 Elicea 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.

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

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

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