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

Gonçales, 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 Gonçales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gonçales in America

Gonçales is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gonçales surname appeared 120 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 Gonçales.

The history of the last name Gonçales

The surname Goncales has its origins in Portugal, emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the personal name "Goncalo," which itself comes from the Germanic name "Guntsalvus," meaning "war spear" or "battle protection."

The earliest recorded instances of the Goncales surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various Portuguese records and documents. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Portugal, particularly in the areas around Porto and Braga.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Goncales surname was Goncalo Mendes Goncales, a Portuguese nobleman who lived in the 13th century and played a significant role in the reign of King Afonso III.

In the 15th century, the Goncales name appeared in the Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical record that documented noble families and their ancestral lines.

As Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to other parts of the world, the Goncales surname spread to various regions, including Brazil, Africa, and parts of Asia. Fernão Goncales Pinto (1505-1583), a famous Portuguese explorer and writer, is known for his travels to the Far East and his accounts documented in his book "Peregrinação" (Pilgrimage).

Another notable figure bearing the Goncales surname was Pedro da Silva Goncales (1760-1843), a Brazilian writer, journalist, and political activist who played a crucial role in the independence movement of Brazil.

In the 19th century, Francisco Goncales Bocanegra (1828-1898), a Chilean writer and journalist, made significant contributions to the literary and cultural scene in Chile.

The Goncales surname also found its way to Mexico, where Manuel Goncales (1833-1893), a Mexican general and statesman, played a pivotal role in the Reform War and the French Intervention in Mexico.

Throughout history, various spellings and variations of the Goncales surname have emerged, such as Goncalves, Gonçalves, and Gonzalez, reflecting the influence of different regions, languages, and cultural traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gonçales

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

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

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

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