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

Gonzalez, 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 Gonzalez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gonzalez in America

Gonzalez is the 52619th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gonzalez surname appeared 394 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 Gonzalez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gonzalez 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 Gonzalez

The surname "Gonalez" is believed to have originated in Spain, most likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "Gonzalo," which is a variant of the Germanic name "Gundisalvus." This name is composed of the elements "gund" (battle) and "salv" (safety or protection), suggesting a meaning along the lines of "battle protection."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Gonalez" can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript from the 10th century that contained various legal documents and charters from the region of La Rioja, Spain. In this manuscript, the name appears as "Gonzalvez," which is likely an earlier spelling variation.

During the 12th century, the name "Gonalez" was associated with several notable figures in Spanish history. One prominent individual was Fernán González, who was the Count of Castile from 930 to 970 CE. He played a significant role in the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile and the reconquest of territories from the Moors.

Another notable figure with the surname "Gonalez" was Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (1453-1515), a Spanish military leader and nobleman known as "El Gran Capitán" (The Great Captain). He served under the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, and was renowned for his strategic brilliance and numerous victories in the Italian Wars.

In the 16th century, the explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475-1519) was also associated with the surname "Gonalez." Although his full name did not include the surname, his mother's maiden name was "Núñez de Gonalez." Balboa is famously credited with being the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean while exploring modern-day Panama.

Another notable figure with the surname "Gonalez" was Tirso de Molina (1579-1648), a Spanish playwright and poet of the Baroque period. His real name was Gabriel Téllez, but he adopted the pseudonym "Tirso de Molina," which is believed to be derived from the place name "Molina" and potentially related to the surname "Gonalez."

Throughout history, the surname "Gonalez" has undergone various spelling variations, such as "Gonzalez," "Gonsalvez," and "Gonsalves," reflecting regional and linguistic differences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Spanish language and the medieval era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gonzalez

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

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

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

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