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

GarciaValdez, 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 GarciaValdez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of GarciaValdez in America

GarciaValdez is the 142108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The GarciaValdez surname appeared 117 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 GarciaValdez.

The history of the last name GarciaValdez

The surname GARCIAVALDEZ is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages in the regions of Galicia and Asturias in northern Spain. The name is a compound of two distinct elements – "Garcia" and "Valdez."

"Garcia" is a patronymic surname derived from the Germanic name "Garsea," which itself stems from the Visigothic word "garti," meaning "spear." This name was popularized in Spain during the period of Visigothic rule and the subsequent Reconquista, when many Christians adopted Germanic names to distinguish themselves from their Moorish rulers.

The second part of the name, "Valdez," is a locative surname derived from the Spanish word "val," meaning "valley," and "dez," which is likely a contraction of the Latin word "decem," meaning "ten." This combination suggests that the name originally referred to a person who hailed from a particular valley or region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GARCIAVALDEZ can be found in the Cartulario de Santo Toribio de Liébana, a 12th-century manuscript from the Monastery of Santo Toribio in Cantabria, Spain. This document mentions a certain "Gomez Garciavaldez" who held land in the region.

Another historical figure bearing this surname was Pedro Garciavaldez, a 15th-century Spanish nobleman who served as a councilor to King Juan II of Castile. He played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Arévalo in 1430, which helped resolve a power struggle between the king and his cousin, the Infante Don Enrique.

In the 16th century, a Jesuit priest named Juan Garciavaldez was renowned for his missionary work in Mexico and Central America. He is credited with establishing several missions and converting numerous indigenous communities to Christianity.

During the 17th century, a notable figure named Alonso Garciavaldez served as the alcalde (mayor) of Seville, Spain, from 1620 to 1623. Records from his tenure document his efforts to improve the city's infrastructure and maintain public order.

In the field of literature, the 19th-century Spanish novelist and playwright José Garciavaldez gained recognition for his works exploring the social and political challenges of his time. His most famous novel, "La Vida Humilde" (The Humble Life), portrayed the struggles of working-class families in Madrid.

Throughout its long history, the surname GARCIAVALDEZ has been associated with various localities in Spain, such as Valdezcaray in La Rioja, Valdezate in Burgos, and Valdez in Asturias. These place names likely contributed to the formation and evolution of the surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name GarciaValdez

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

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

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

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