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

Florestal, 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 Florestal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Florestal in America

Florestal is the 42378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Florestal surname appeared 512 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 Florestal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Florestal 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 Florestal

The surname Florestal originated in Portugal during the medieval period, derived from the Latin word "forestalis" meaning "of the forest." It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name for individuals who lived near or worked in forested areas.

The earliest known record of the Florestal name dates back to the 13th century in the region of Minho, northern Portugal. It is possible that the name was initially spelled as "Forestale" or "Forestale," reflecting the local dialect at the time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named João Florestal (c. 1310-1375) was mentioned in several historical documents as a prominent landowner and member of the local nobility in the town of Viana do Castelo. His descendants likely played a role in the further spread and recognition of the surname throughout Portugal.

During the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, some individuals with the Florestal surname may have participated in the Portuguese exploration and colonization efforts, potentially carrying the name to various parts of the world, including Brazil and other Portuguese colonies.

One significant individual bearing the Florestal surname was Diogo Florestal (1505-1568), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous voyage around the world. Florestal's accounts and maps contributed to the expansion of geographical knowledge during the era of maritime exploration.

Another notable figure was Inês Florestal (1620-1695), a renowned poet and writer from the town of Évora in southern Portugal. Her work was widely celebrated and influenced the literary culture of the time.

In the 18th century, Manuel Florestal (1728-1804) was a respected architect and urban planner who was responsible for designing several iconic buildings and public spaces in Lisbon, including the iconic Praça do Comércio square.

As the Florestal surname spread throughout Portugal and its territories, it became associated with various professions and social classes, from landowners and nobility to artisans and commoners, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Florestal

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

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

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

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