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

Graciano, 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 Graciano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Graciano in America

Graciano is the 13440th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Graciano surname appeared 2,266 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 Graciano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Graciano 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 Graciano

The surname Graciano is believed to have originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin name Gratianus, which means "grace" or "favor." The earliest known references to this name can be traced back to the 10th century in the region of Castile, where it was often used as a given name.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, the Graciano surname began to appear in various historical records and documents across the Iberian Peninsula. One notable mention is found in the Becerro de las Behetrias, a medieval Spanish manuscript that recorded the names of landowners and their properties.

As the Reconquista progressed, and the Christian kingdoms of Spain expanded their territories, the Graciano name spread to other regions such as Andalusia and Valencia. It was particularly prevalent among noble families and members of the emerging middle class.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Graciano surname was Pedro Graciano, a prominent jurist and canonist who lived in the 12th century. His work, known as the "Decretum Gratiani," was a significant contribution to canon law and became a foundational text for the study of church law.

Another notable figure was Juan Graciano, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the expeditions of Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Mexico and later served as a colonial administrator in New Spain.

In the 17th century, the Graciano family produced several notable individuals, including Diego Graciano de Alderete, a Spanish poet and playwright, and Baltasar Gracián y Morales, a renowned Jesuit philosopher and writer whose works, such as "El Criticón" and "Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia," were widely influential during the Spanish Golden Age.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Graciano surname continued to be prominent in Spain, with many individuals holding positions of importance in various fields, including politics, the military, and the Church. One notable figure was Mariano Graciano, a Spanish general who played a significant role in the Peninsular War against the French Empire.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the Americas, the Graciano surname also took root in various colonies, particularly in Mexico, Peru, and Argentina. Today, the Graciano name can be found in many Spanish-speaking countries around the world, reflecting its rich historical heritage and widespread distribution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Graciano

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!