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

Funes, 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 Funes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Funes in America

Funes is the 5702nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Funes surname appeared 6,079 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Funes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Funes 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 Funes

The surname Funes is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to derive from the Latin word "funis," meaning "rope" or "cord," suggesting a possible occupational connection to rope-makers or those involved in related trades.

Historically, the name Funes can be found scattered across various regions of Spain, particularly in areas like Andalusia, Castile, and Aragon. One of the earliest documented references to the surname is in the Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla, a 13th-century record detailing the distribution of land and properties in the city of Seville after its reconquest from the Moors.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, as Spanish exploration and colonization expanded across the Americas, the Funes surname made its way to the New World. Notably, Juan Funes, a Spanish soldier and explorer, was among the early settlers in the region of present-day Argentina, establishing himself in the city of Córdoba around 1573.

The name Funes also appears in historical records related to the Spanish Inquisition, with mentions of individuals bearing this surname among those tried or persecuted during this tumultuous period of religious intolerance in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Notable figures with the surname Funes include:

1. Gregorio Funes (1749-1829), an Argentine priest, historian, and politician who played a significant role in the early years of Argentine independence.
2. Juan José Funes (1771-1846), a Spanish lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Spain in 1837-1838.
3. Benito Funes (1805-1885), a Mexican general and politician who fought in the Mexican-American War and later served as the Governor of Coahuila.
4. Salvador Funes (1856-1923), a Chilean writer and journalist known for his literary works and contributions to the development of Chilean literature.
5. Jorge Luis Borges' fictional character Ireneo Funes, the protagonist of the short story "Funes the Memorious," who possessed an extraordinary memory.

While the surname Funes has its origins in Spain and has spread across various parts of the world, it remains a testament to the rich tapestry of cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped the diverse surnames we encounter today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Funes

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

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

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

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