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

Encomienda, 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 Encomienda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Encomienda in America

Encomienda is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Encomienda surname appeared 102 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 Encomienda.

The history of the last name Encomienda

The surname "ENCOMIENDA" has its origins in Spain during the colonial era of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is derived from the Spanish word "encomienda," which referred to a legal system established by the Spanish Crown to govern and regulate the labor of indigenous people in the Americas.

The encomienda system granted Spanish colonists, known as encomenderos, the right to demand tribute and labor from the indigenous population living on lands assigned to them. In exchange, the encomenderos were responsible for protecting and providing religious instruction to the indigenous people under their jurisdiction.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "ENCOMIENDA" can be traced back to official documents and records from the Spanish colonial administration in the Americas. These documents often listed the names of encomenderos and their respective encomiendas, which were essentially land grants bestowed upon them by the Spanish Crown.

One notable individual bearing the surname "ENCOMIENDA" was Diego de Encomienda, a Spanish conquistador and encomendero who participated in the conquest of Peru in the 16th century. He was granted an encomienda in the region of Cuzco and played a significant role in the subjugation of the Inca Empire.

Another notable figure was Juan de Encomienda, a Spanish nobleman and encomendero who settled in the region of New Spain (present-day Mexico) in the early 17th century. He acquired vast lands and indigenous labor through the encomienda system, amassing considerable wealth and influence in the colonial society.

In the 18th century, the surname "ENCOMIENDA" appeared in various historical records related to the Spanish colonial administration in Central and South America. One such record mentions Francisco de Encomienda, an encomendero who held substantial landholdings and indigenous labor in the region of Guatemala.

As the encomienda system gradually declined in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the surname "ENCOMIENDA" became less prominent. However, it has persisted as a reminder of the complex and often exploitative colonial policies implemented by the Spanish Crown in the Americas.

It is important to note that the surname "ENCOMIENDA" is closely tied to the historical context of the Spanish colonial era and the encomienda system, which has been widely criticized for its oppressive treatment of indigenous populations in the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Encomienda

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

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

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

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