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 111426th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gonzalez surname appeared 158 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 Gonzalz has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval era. It is a variant spelling of the more common Gonzalez, which derives from the personal name Gonzalo, a Spanish form of the Germanic name Gundisalvus, meaning "battle defender."

The earliest known bearers of the Gonzalz surname hailed from the northern regions of Spain, particularly Asturias and Cantabria. Historical records suggest that the name may have appeared as early as the 9th century, during the Reconquista period when Christian kingdoms fought to reclaim territories from Moorish rule.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Gonzalz name can be found in the Cartulario de San Vicente de Oviedo, a collection of charters and documents from the 9th to 12th centuries, which mentions individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Gundisalvus and Gundissalviz.

In the 13th century, the Gonzalz surname gained prominence with the rise of Gonzalz de Mendoza, a noble family from the Kingdom of Castile. This family produced several notable figures, including Pedro Gonzalz de Mendoza (1428-1495), a prominent military leader and statesman who served as a cardinal and viceroy of Aragon.

Another notable bearer of the Gonzalz surname was Hernán Gonzalz de Córdoba (c. 1453-1515), a Spanish military leader and conquistador who played a crucial role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. He was known as Gonzalo de Córdoba and earned the nickname "El Gran Capitán" (The Great Captain) for his military prowess.

During the 16th century, the Gonzalz surname also spread to the Americas as Spanish colonists and explorers ventured into the New World. One prominent figure was Juan Gonzalz de Mendoza (1545-1618), a Spanish explorer and navigator who led expeditions to the Pacific Northwest and is credited with being the first European to navigate the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

In the realm of literature, the Gonzalz surname found its place with the Spanish novelist and poet Gonzalo de Berceo (c. 1195-1264), regarded as one of the most important poets of the Spanish Middle Ages. His works, such as the "Milagros de Nuestra Señora" (Miracles of Our Lady), are considered among the earliest known examples of Spanish literary prose.

Throughout history, the Gonzalz surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, explorers, writers, and nobles, reflecting the diverse and rich heritage of Spain and its influence across the globe.

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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