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

Figueira, 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 Figueira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Figueira in America

Figueira is the 29261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Figueira surname appeared 809 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 Figueira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Figueira 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 Figueira

The surname Figueira has its origins in Portugal, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Portuguese word "figueira," which means "fig tree." This surname likely originated as a toponymic name, referring to someone who lived near a fig tree or in a place where fig trees were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the medieval Portuguese records known as the "Inquirições Gerais" from the 13th century. These records document various individuals bearing the surname Figueira, indicating its established presence during that period.

The name Figueira may also be associated with certain place names in Portugal, such as the town of Figueira da Foz, located in the central region of the country. It's possible that some individuals adopted the surname Figueira after migrating from or residing in such places.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Figueira. One prominent example is Luís Figueira (1604-1667), a Portuguese Jesuit priest and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of moral theology.

Another noteworthy figure is Pedro Figueira (1566-1641), a Portuguese architect and military engineer who designed several fortifications and played a crucial role in the defense of Portugal during the Portuguese Restoration War.

In the realm of literature, Manuel da Figueira (1725-1801) was a notable Portuguese poet and playwright active during the 18th century, known for his lyrical compositions and theatrical works.

Moving to more recent times, José Figueira (1885-1970) was a prominent Portuguese artist and painter, renowned for his landscape and still-life paintings that captured the essence of Portuguese rural life.

Additionally, João Figueira (1917-1997) was a respected Portuguese architect who contributed significantly to the modernist architectural movement in Portugal, designing numerous notable buildings and public spaces.

While the surname Figueira has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other regions and countries, particularly those with historical ties to Portugal, such as Brazil and former Portuguese colonies. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above primarily pertain to the origins and early development of this surname within Portugal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Figueira

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

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

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

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