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

García, 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 García surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of García in America

García is the 133863rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The García surname appeared 126 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 García.

The history of the last name García

The surname GARCIAM has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Spanish word "Garcia," which itself stems from the Visigothic Germanic name "Gartius." This name was composed of the elements "gar," meaning spear, and "tius," meaning people or nation.

During the period of Moorish rule in Spain, many Visigothic names were adopted by the Muslim population and underwent changes in pronunciation and spelling. The name Garcia evolved into its modern form, with the addition of the patronymic suffix "-am" indicating lineage or descent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GARCIAM can be found in the Libro de las Behetrías, a 14th-century Castilian manuscript that documented landholdings and vassalage relationships. This document mentions individuals with the surname GARCIAM, indicating its widespread use in medieval Castile.

The name GARCIAM has been associated with several notable historical figures. One of the earliest was Rodrigo GARCIAM, a 12th-century nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the Reconquista, the Christian effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule.

Another prominent individual was Diego GARCIAM de Paredes (c. 1466–1534), a Spanish soldier and adventurer who gained fame for his exploits in the Italian Wars and the conquest of Mexico under Hernán Cortés.

In the realm of literature, the name GARCIAM is linked to the 16th-century poet and dramatist Garcilaso de la Vega (c. 1501–1536), whose full name was Garcí Laso de la Vega GARCIAM. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of Spanish Renaissance poetry.

The 17th century saw the rise of Francisco GARCIAM de Quevedo (1580–1645), a renowned Spanish writer, poet, and satirist known for his biting wit and social criticism. His works, such as "El Buscón" and "Sueños," are considered masterpieces of the Spanish Golden Age.

Lastly, the name GARCIAM is associated with the 19th-century Mexican general Mariano GARCIAM Vigil (1801–1858), who played a pivotal role in the Mexican-American War and the defense of Mexico City against the French intervention in the 1860s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name García

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

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 García 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.

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

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

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