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

Esteves, 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 Esteves surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Esteves in America

Esteves is the 8439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Esteves surname appeared 3,913 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 Esteves.

We can also compare 2010 data for Esteves 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 Esteves

The surname "ESTEVES" is of Portuguese origin, derived from the personal name "Estêvão," which is the Portuguese form of the Latin name "Stephanus" or "Stephanus." The name "Stephanus" itself is derived from the Greek word "stephanos," meaning "crown" or "wreath."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "ESTEVES" can be traced back to the 12th century in Portugal. It was initially used as a patronymic surname, indicating the bearer's relation to an ancestor named Estêvão or Stephanus. The surname was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of Portugal, such as Porto and Braga.

One of the earliest documented references to the name "ESTEVES" can be found in the "Livro Velho das Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This manuscript contains genealogical records of noble families in Portugal, including individuals bearing the surname "ESTEVES."

During the Age of Discovery, several Portuguese explorers and navigators with the surname "ESTEVES" played significant roles in the exploration and colonization of new territories. Notable figures include João Esteves, a 15th-century navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in 1497-1499, and Afonso Esteves, a 16th-century explorer who participated in the conquest of Brazil.

In the field of literature, one of the most renowned individuals with the surname "ESTEVES" was Gonçalo Esteves, a 16th-century Portuguese poet and playwright. He was born in Lisbon in the late 15th century and is considered one of the pioneers of Portuguese theater.

Another noteworthy figure was Manuel Esteves de Vasconcelos, a 17th-century Portuguese historian and genealogist. He authored several works on the history and nobility of Portugal, including the influential "Nobiliário das Linhagens de Portugal" (Nobility Lineages of Portugal).

In the realm of religion, Frei Estêvão Esteves, a 16th-century Portuguese Franciscan friar, gained recognition for his missionary work in Brazil. He was instrumental in establishing the first Catholic missions among the indigenous populations of the region.

The surname "ESTEVES" has also been associated with various place names in Portugal. For instance, the town of Esteves, located in the municipality of Barcelos, derives its name from the surname. Similarly, the village of Estevesinho, in the municipality of Arouca, is believed to have originated from a diminutive form of the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Esteves

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

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

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

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