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

Gándara, 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 Gándara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gándara in America

Gándara is the 7044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gándara surname appeared 4,754 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 Gándara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gándara 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 Gándara

The surname Gandara is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period. The name derives from the word "gándara," which in Galician and Portuguese refers to a shrubby or brushy area, often near a marsh or wetland.

Gandara likely originated as a topographic surname, given to individuals who lived near or were associated with such shrubby or brushy areas. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in historical documents from the northern regions of Spain, particularly Galicia and Asturias, where the Galician and Portuguese languages were spoken.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Gandara surname was Pedro de Gandara, a nobleman who lived in the 14th century and was mentioned in the records of the Kingdom of Castile. Another early figure was Rodrigo de Gandara, a soldier who fought in the Reconquista, the prolonged campaign to retake the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule, during the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Gandara surname gained prominence with the life of Diego de Gandara y Aragón, a Spanish military commander and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Captaincy General of Guatemala from 1595 to 1601. His tenure was marked by his efforts to establish Spanish control over the region and quell indigenous uprisings.

Another notable figure was Francisco de Gandara y Paz, a Spanish prelate who lived in the 17th century and served as the Bishop of Guadix and Baza, two neighboring dioceses in Andalusia, from 1617 to 1638. He is remembered for his efforts to promote education and religious instruction in his bishopric.

In the 18th century, José de Gandara y Salazar, a Spanish military engineer and architect, made significant contributions to the field of fortification design. He is best known for his work on the fortifications of Cartagena de Indias, a strategically important port city in present-day Colombia.

As the centuries passed, the Gandara surname spread throughout Spain and its colonies, with many individuals bearing the name migrating to the Americas and other regions of the Spanish Empire. Today, the name can be found in various Spanish-speaking countries, though it remains most prevalent in Spain and Latin American nations with strong Spanish cultural influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gándara

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

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

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

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