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

Elvira, 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 Elvira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elvira in America

Elvira is the 28001st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elvira surname appeared 856 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 Elvira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elvira 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 Elvira

The surname Elvira originated in Spain during the 8th century AD, when the Iberian Peninsula was under Moorish rule. It is derived from the Arabic name 'Al-Walirah', which means 'the loyal one' or 'the noble lady'. This Arabic name was later adapted by the Spanish as 'Elvira'.

During the Reconquista period, when the Christian kingdoms regained control of the Iberian Peninsula, the name Elvira became popular among the Spanish nobility. One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript that details the history and legends surrounding the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname Elvira was Doña Elvira Alfonso de Meneses, a Portuguese noblewoman who served as the Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Urraca of León and Castile. Another notable individual was Don Elvira Núñez de Lara, a powerful nobleman who played a significant role in the conflicts between the kingdoms of Castile and León during the same period.

The surname Elvira can also be traced back to various place names in Spain, such as the village of Elvira in the province of Granada, and the town of Elvira de Valadaura in the province of Zamora. These place names were likely derived from the personal name Elvira, which was common among the local nobility and landowners.

In the 15th century, a famous bearer of the surname Elvira was Elvira de Castañeda, a Spanish noblewoman who served as the governess to the Infanta Isabella, daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. Another notable figure was Elvira de Mendoza, a prominent figure in the court of King Ferdinand II and a patron of the arts and literature.

Throughout history, the surname Elvira has been associated with individuals of noble descent and influential figures in Spanish society. While it may not be as widely known today, it remains a part of the rich cultural heritage of Spain and its Arabic influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elvira

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!