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

Gongales, 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 Gongales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gongales in America

Gongales is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gongales surname appeared 150 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 Gongales.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gongales 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 Gongales

The surname Gongales originated in Spain, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "Gonzalo," which is believed to have its origins in the Germanic name "Gundisalvus," meaning "battle-protected."

In the 10th century, the name Gongales was prevalent in the northern regions of Spain, particularly in the provinces of Asturias and Cantabria. It is thought to have been brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Visigoths, a Germanic tribe that ruled parts of Spain from the 5th to the 8th centuries.

Historical records from the 11th and 12th centuries, including the Codex Calixtinus, a medieval manuscript connected to the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage, mention individuals with the surname Gongales. This suggests that the name had already established itself in Spain during that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gongales can be found in the Poema de Mio Cid, an epic poem from the 12th century that chronicles the life of the Castilian nobleman Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, known as El Cid. The poem mentions a character named Gongales de Berceo, indicating the presence of the surname in that era.

Over the centuries, the Gongales surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Fernán González de Córdoba (1453-1515), a Spanish conquistador who played a significant role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico. Another prominent bearer of the name was Pedro Núñez de Gongales (1487-1537), a Spanish explorer who led expeditions to the Caribbean and Central America.

In the realm of literature, the surname is associated with Manuel Gongales Prada (1766-1836), a Venezuelan poet and playwright who was a prominent figure in the Latin American literary scene during the early 19th century.

The Gongales surname also has a presence in the arts, with Juan Gongales de la Navas (1554-1619), a Spanish painter known for his religious works and contribution to the Baroque style in Seville.

Finally, a notable figure from more recent history is María Gongales de Aveleyra (1880-1972), a Mexican feminist and social activist who fought for women's rights and education in her country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gongales

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

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

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

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