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

Fragoso, 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 Fragoso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fragoso in America

Fragoso is the 7778th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fragoso surname appeared 4,267 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 Fragoso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fragoso 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 Fragoso

The surname Fragoso originated in Portugal during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "fragosus," meaning rocky or rough. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a rocky or mountainous region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fragoso surname appears in the Portuguese royal archives from the 14th century. These documents mention a nobleman named João Fragoso, who served as a military commander under King Afonso IV (1325-1357).

In the 15th century, the Fragoso name gained prominence with the explorer and navigator Tomé Fragoso, who accompanied the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in 1497-1499. Tomé Fragoso played a crucial role in navigating the treacherous waters around the Cape of Good Hope.

The Fragoso surname is also associated with the town of Fragoso, located in the northern region of Portugal. It is believed that some families may have adopted the name due to their association with this particular location.

Another notable figure bearing the Fragoso surname was Father Manuel Fragoso (1592-1663), a prominent Jesuit scholar and theologian from Portugal. He authored several influential works on moral theology and was widely respected in his time.

In the 18th century, José Fragoso (1720-1807) was a renowned Portuguese architect who designed several prominent buildings, including the Palácio de Queluz, a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family.

Additionally, the Fragoso surname has been associated with various noble families in Portugal throughout history. For instance, the Fragoso de Almeida family, which traced its roots back to the 16th century, held significant landholdings and influence in the region of Alentejo.

While the Fragoso surname is most commonly found in Portugal and Brazil, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, the name's origins and earliest recorded instances can be firmly traced back to medieval Portugal and its association with rocky or mountainous regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fragoso

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

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

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

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