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

Gonza, 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 Gonza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gonza in America

Gonza is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gonza surname appeared 134 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 Gonza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gonza 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 Gonza

The surname "Gonza" is believed to have its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Spanish word "gonzar," which means "to mock" or "to ridicule." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone known for their mocking or jesting behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a collection of medieval manuscripts from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain. In this document, dated around the 12th century, there is a mention of a person named "Gonzalvo Gonza."

The Gonza name is also believed to have ties to the Spanish region of Navarre, where it may have originated from the place name "Gonza," a small village located in the municipality of Viana. This place name is thought to have derived from the Basque word "gontze," meaning "bell" or "clapper."

In the 13th century, there are records of a nobleman named Lope Gonza, who served as a knight under the reign of King Alfonso X of Castile. Another notable figure was Pedro Gonza, a prominent merchant from Seville who lived in the 15th century and was involved in trade with the Americas.

During the 16th century, the Gonza name appeared in various parts of Spain, including Andalusia and Catalonia. One notable individual from this period was Juan Gonza de Mendoza (1545-1618), a Spanish soldier and author who wrote about his experiences in the wars against the Ottoman Empire.

In the 17th century, the Gonza surname spread to other parts of Europe, including Italy and France. One notable individual from this time was Francesco Gonza (1620-1690), an Italian painter and architect known for his work in the Baroque style.

As the centuries progressed, the Gonza name continued to appear across different regions and contexts, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields, from the arts and literature to politics and warfare.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gonza

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

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

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

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