Fonceca last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Fonceca

A Spanish or Portuguese surname derived from the word "fuente" meaning fountain or spring.

Fonceca, 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 Fonceca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fonceca in America

Fonceca is the 69996th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fonceca surname appeared 280 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 Fonceca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fonceca 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 69996 78549 -11.52%
Count 280 226 21.34%
Proportion per 100k 0.09 0.08 11.76%

The history of the last name Fonceca

The surname Fonceca is believed to have originated in Portugal, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. This name is derived from the Portuguese word "fon(te)" meaning "fountain" or "spring," suggesting a connection to a geographical feature or location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fonceca surname can be found in the Livro Velho or "Old Book" from the 13th century, a historical document containing records of noble families in Portugal. This indicates that the Fonceca name likely emerged among the Portuguese nobility during this time period.

In the 15th century, the Fonceca surname gained prominence with the birth of Pedro de Fonceca (1460-1523), a notable Portuguese philosopher and theologian. He was a professor at the University of Lisbon and authored several influential works on logic and metaphysics.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was João Rodrigues de Fonceca (1451-1501), a Portuguese explorer and navigator. He played a crucial role in the early Portuguese voyages of exploration, serving as a pilot on several expeditions along the African coast.

During the 16th century, the Fonceca name spread to other parts of the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas through Portuguese colonization efforts. One significant individual from this period was Juan de Fonceca (1536-1599), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Philippines.

In the realm of literature, the Fonceca surname is associated with Eugénio de Fonceca (1516-1577), a renowned Portuguese poet and playwright. His works, including plays and sonnets, were widely acclaimed during the Renaissance period in Portugal.

As the Fonceca family expanded across various regions, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Fonseca or Fonceka, but the core meaning and origin remained consistent. Place names and locations were sometimes incorporated into the surname, leading to variations like Fonceca de Almeida or Fonceca da Silva.

Throughout history, the Fonceca surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including nobles, scholars, explorers, and artists. While its origins are firmly rooted in Portugal, the name has transcended borders and cultures, leaving an indelible mark on various aspects of human endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fonceca

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

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 Fonceca was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 14.64% 41
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 82.50% 231

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 Fonceca has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 14.64% 20.80% -34.76%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 3.54% (S)%
Hispanic 82.50% 73.01% 12.21%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Fonceca last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/fonceca-surname-popularity/.

"Fonceca last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/fonceca-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Fonceca last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/fonceca-surname-popularity/.

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