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

Gastelum, 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 Gastelum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gastelum in America

Gastelum is the 5091st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gastelum surname appeared 6,880 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 Gastelum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gastelum 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 Gastelum

The surname Gastelum has its origins in Spain, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. It is derived from the Basque word "gaztelu," which means "castle" or "fortress." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near or worked in castles or fortified structures.

One of the earliest records of the name Gastelum can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a medieval census document compiled in the 14th century. This document listed landowners and their properties in the region of Castile, and it included several entries for individuals with the surname Gastelum.

In the 15th century, the name Gastelum appeared in various legal documents and records related to the Spanish Inquisition. One notable individual from this period was Juan de Gastelum, a merchant from Seville who was accused of harboring Jewish converts to Christianity during the Inquisition.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gastelum family played a significant role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Several members of the family were among the early explorers and settlers in the New World. One of the most prominent figures was Pedro de Gastelum, a conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century.

In the 18th century, the Gastelum name was associated with several notable figures in the fields of art and literature. Francisco de Gastelum was a renowned Spanish painter known for his religious works, while Juan Antonio de Gastelum was a celebrated poet and playwright whose works were widely performed in Madrid and other Spanish cities.

Another important figure bearing the Gastelum surname was José María de Gastelum, a Mexican military officer and politician who played a crucial role in the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century. He served as a general in the insurgent army and later became a prominent statesman in the newly independent Mexico.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Gastelum family continued to have a presence in various parts of Spain and Latin America. Several individuals with this surname made notable contributions in fields such as education, law, and business.

The surname Gastelum has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval Spain and the Basque region. Its association with castles and fortresses, as well as its presence in historical records and the lives of notable individuals, reflect the cultural and historical significance of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gastelum

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

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

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

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