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

Gonzaga, 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 Gonzaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gonzaga in America

Gonzaga is the 11185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gonzaga surname appeared 2,827 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gonzaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gonzaga 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 Gonzaga

The surname Gonzaga originated in the northern Italian city of Mantua, in the region of Lombardy. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Gundesal, which means "battle" and "rule". The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 10th century, when it appeared as Gunzaga in a medieval document from the area.

The Gonzaga family rose to prominence in the 13th century, when they became rulers of the city-state of Mantua. Luigi Gonzaga (1268-1360) was a prominent member of the family and served as the Captain General of the city's military forces. His son, Guido Gonzaga (1290-1369), was appointed as the first Capitano del Popolo, or elected ruler, of Mantua in 1328.

Throughout the Renaissance period, the Gonzaga family played a significant role in Italian history and politics. They were patrons of the arts and culture, and their court in Mantua attracted many renowned artists, writers, and intellectuals. One of the most famous members of the family was Isabella d'Este Gonzaga (1474-1539), a brilliant and influential Renaissance woman known for her patronage of the arts and her extensive art collection.

Another notable Gonzaga was Ferrante Gonzaga (1507-1557), a military commander who served in the imperial armies of Charles V and later became the Viceroy of Sicily. In the 16th century, the family's power and influence extended beyond Mantua, with members holding important positions in the Catholic Church and various European courts.

One of the most famous bearers of the Gonzaga name was St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591), a Jesuit novice and patron saint of youth. He was born into a noble family in Castiglione delle Stiviere, near Mantua, and is remembered for his piety and devotion to the religious life.

The Gonzaga dynasty ruled Mantua until 1708, when the city was conquered by the Austrian Empire. Despite the loss of their political power, the Gonzaga name continued to be carried on by various branches of the family throughout Europe and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gonzaga

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

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

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

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