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

Gavilánez, 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 Gavilánez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gavilánez in America

Gavilánez is the 89069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gavilánez surname appeared 208 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 Gavilánez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gavilánez 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 Gavilánez

The surname Gavilanez has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "gavilán," which means "hawk" or "sparrowhawk." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone with keen eyesight or hunting skills related to hawks.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Gavilanez can be found in historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in the regions of Andalusia and Castile. These regions were heavily influenced by the Moorish culture during the period of Arab rule in Spain, which may have contributed to the development of the name's distinct spelling and pronunciation.

One notable historical figure bearing the name Gavilanez was Don Pedro Gavilanez, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who participated in the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule. Records indicate that he was born in Seville around 1280 and played a significant role in the capture of Gibraltar in 1309.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Doña Isabel Gavilanez, a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from Córdoba, Spain, who lived during the 15th century. She is renowned for her generous donations to the local church and her efforts in establishing a hospital for the poor and infirm in her hometown.

In the 16th century, the name Gavilanez appeared in several historical manuscripts documenting the Spanish colonization of the Americas. One such record mentions a Juan Gavilanez, a soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the 1520s.

As the Spanish empire expanded, the Gavilanez surname spread to various parts of the Americas, particularly to regions that were under Spanish colonial rule. In the late 17th century, a notable figure named Tomás Gavilanez played a crucial role in the establishment of a Spanish settlement in what is now California.

Throughout the centuries, the Gavilanez surname has been associated with various place names and has undergone slight variations in spelling, such as Gavilanes, Gavilán, and Gavilanes. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained unchanged, reflecting its deep roots in Spanish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gavilánez

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

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

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

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