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

Goya, 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 Goya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goya in America

Goya is the 32792nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goya surname appeared 700 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 Goya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goya 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 Goya

The surname Goya has its origins in Spain, deriving from the Basque region. It is believed to have emerged around the 13th century. One theory suggests that the name is derived from the Basque word 'goia', meaning 'high' or 'elevated', possibly referring to a person residing in an elevated area or a high place.

Another possible origin traces the name back to the Basque word 'goi', which means 'top' or 'upper part'. This could indicate that the surname was initially given to someone living in an upper or higher region. Alternatively, it may have been used to describe a person's stature or height.

The earliest known record of the surname Goya can be found in the medieval Cartularios of the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, dating back to the 13th century. These cartularies contain numerous references to individuals bearing the name Goya, suggesting its widespread use in the Basque region during that time.

One of the most famous bearers of the surname Goya was Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), the renowned Spanish painter and printmaker. Considered the last of the Old Masters and a precursor to the modern era, Goya's works are celebrated for their bold brushwork, intense color palette, and unflinching depictions of the human condition.

Another notable figure with the Goya surname was Juan José Goya y Giménez (1806-1869), a Spanish journalist and political writer. Goya y Giménez played a significant role in the development of Spanish journalism and was an influential figure in the liberal movements of the 19th century.

Among other prominent individuals bearing the Goya name was Ángel Goya (1900-1969), a Spanish painter and sculptor known for his avant-garde works and association with the Surrealist movement. His contributions to Spanish art in the 20th century were widely recognized.

The surname Goya is also found in the historical records of the Basque town of Oyarzun, where a family bearing this name can be traced back to the 16th century. Documented instances include Juan de Goya, a prominent member of the local nobility in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, records show a Juan Bautista de Goya, who served as a royal notary in the town of Castrogeriz, Burgos. This further illustrates the widespread use and recognition of the Goya surname across various regions of Spain during that period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goya

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

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

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

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