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

Figueroa, 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 Figueroa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Figueroa in America

Figueroa is the 37229th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Figueroa surname appeared 599 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 Figueroa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Figueroa 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 Figueroa

The surname Figuero has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It emerged during the Middle Ages and is derived from the Spanish word "higuera," which means fig tree. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name might have lived near or cultivated fig trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Figuero can be found in the Cartulario de Valpuesta, a manuscript dating back to the 11th century. This cartulary contains documents related to the Monastery of Valpuesta in the province of Burgos, Spain.

In the 13th century, the name Figuero appeared in the Libro de la Montería, a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This work mentioned several places with names related to fig trees, indicating the presence of individuals bearing the surname Figuero in those areas.

During the 14th century, the name Figuero was documented in the Catastro de Ensenada, a census-like survey conducted in the Crown of Castile between 1749 and 1756. This survey provides valuable information about the distribution of the name across various regions of Spain at that time.

One notable bearer of the surname Figuero was Alonso Figuero, a Spanish painter born in Seville in the late 15th century. He is known for his contributions to the artistic style of the Sevillian Renaissance.

Another prominent figure was Juan Figuero, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Figuero played a crucial role in the exploration and settlement of the Caribbean islands.

In the 16th century, the name Figuero appeared in the records of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Pedro Figuero was a soldier who participated in the conquest of Tenochtitlan under the command of Hernán Cortés.

The surname Figuero also has a presence in Portugal, where it is sometimes spelled as Figueiro. One notable Portuguese bearer of this name was João Figueiro, a 17th-century poet and scholar who contributed to the literary movement known as the Portuguese Renaissance.

In the 18th century, the name Figuero was found in the Catastro de Ensenada, suggesting its continued presence in Spain. Additionally, María Figuero, a Spanish painter from Seville, gained recognition for her religious artwork during this period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Figueroa

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

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

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

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