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

Garciapeña, 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 Garciapeña surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Garciapeña in America

Garciapeña is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Garciapeña surname appeared 235 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 Garciapeña.

The history of the last name Garciapeña

The surname GARCIAPENA has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is a combination of two separate surnames, Garcia and Pena, suggesting that it may have originated from a marriage between two families bearing these last names.

The first part of the name, Garcia, is derived from the Visigothic personal name "Gartia," which itself is derived from the Germanic name "Gart," meaning "spear." This name was widely used in Spain during the Visigothic period and became a popular surname after the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

The second part of the name, Pena, is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "peña," meaning "rock" or "cliff." It may have originally referred to someone who lived near a prominent rock formation or in a mountainous region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GARCIAPENA surname can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This text mentions a nobleman named Gonzalo Garcia de Pena who participated in royal hunting expeditions.

Another notable figure in Spanish history bearing this surname was Juan Garcia de Pena, a 15th-century military commander who fought alongside King Ferdinand II of Aragon during the conquest of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain.

In the 16th century, a prominent explorer named Francisco Garcia de Pena accompanied the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to the Americas. He is credited with establishing several settlements in what is now Mexico.

During the 17th century, a renowned poet and playwright named Pedro Garcia de Pena gained recognition for his works, which were performed in theaters across Spain.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the GARCIAPENA family was Miguel Garcia de Pena, a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Madrid, including the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.

While the GARCIAPENA surname is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Spain's rich cultural heritage, reflecting the country's diverse history and the intermingling of various ethnic and linguistic influences over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Garciapeña

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

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

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

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