García last name popularity, history, and meaning

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.

Meaning of García

A Spanish surname derived from the medieval given name García, meaning "brave with the lance."

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 124548th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The García surname appeared 138 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 Garciar is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era in the Iberian Peninsula. It is derived from the personal name Garcia, which itself is believed to have evolved from the Germanic name Wairits, meaning "brave warrior."

The earliest known record of the name Garciar can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval census document from the 14th century. This document lists several individuals bearing the name Garciar, indicating that it was already in use during that time period.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Garciar was Pedro Garciar, a distinguished soldier who fought alongside King Ferdinand III of Castile during the Reconquista. His exploits are mentioned in several historical chronicles from the 13th century.

In the 15th century, the name Garciar appeared in the Archivo General de Indias, which contains records of Spanish colonists who traveled to the Americas. One notable figure was Juan Garciar de Mendoza, an explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru in the 1530s.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Garciar surname gained prominence in various regions of Spain, particularly in the provinces of Andalusia and Castile. One notable individual from this period was Alonso Garciar de Villadiego, a renowned mathematician and astronomer who worked at the University of Salamanca in the late 16th century.

In the literary realm, the name Garciar is associated with Miguel Garciar Muñoz, a Spanish playwright and poet from the 17th century. His works, which included comedies and religious plays, were widely popular during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

Another notable figure with the Garciar surname was María Garciar de Miera, a Spanish nun and writer from the 18th century. She authored several religious texts and was known for her devotional works, which were widely read throughout Spain and its colonies.

As the Garciar surname spread across the Spanish-speaking world, it also found its way to other regions, including the Americas and the Philippines. In the 19th century, there were several prominent individuals with this surname, such as José Garciar de la Huerta, a Cuban poet and journalist who played a significant role in the island's literary circles.

Throughout its long history, the surname Garciar has been associated with various professions and disciplines, including military service, exploration, academia, literature, and religious life. Its enduring presence across multiple centuries and regions serves as a testament to its deep-rooted legacy within the Spanish-speaking world.

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:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 97.10% 134

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.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"García last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/garciar-surname-popularity/.

"García last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/garciar-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

García last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/garciar-surname-popularity/.

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