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

Guanche, 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 Guanche surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Guanche in America

Guanche is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Guanche surname appeared 165 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 Guanche.

We can also compare 2010 data for Guanche 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 Guanche

The surname Guanche originated from the Canary Islands, an archipelago located off the northwest coast of Africa. The name's roots can be traced back to the indigenous Guanche people who inhabited the islands before the Spanish conquest in the 15th century. The word "Guanche" is believed to have derived from the Berber language, spoken by the aboriginal inhabitants of the islands.

The earliest known historical reference to the Guanche people dates back to the 1st century AD, when the Roman writer Pliny the Elder mentioned the existence of a primitive people living on the islands he called the "Canarii." These were likely the ancestors of the Guanche. Later, in the 14th century, various medieval European chronicles and maps also referred to the islands and their inhabitants, using variations of the name "Guanche."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Guanche was Fernando Guanche, a prominent leader of the indigenous resistance against the Spanish conquest of Tenerife in the late 15th century. He played a significant role in the Battle of Acentejo in 1494, where the Guanche forces were eventually defeated by the Spanish.

Another notable figure was Gaspar Guanche, born in Gran Canaria around 1570. He was a renowned mariner and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Americas and the Pacific Ocean during the 16th and early 17th centuries. His detailed accounts of these voyages provided valuable insights into the geography and cultural practices of the regions he explored.

In the 18th century, Pedro Guanche (1710-1788) was a prominent figure in the Canary Islands' agricultural sector. He is credited with introducing several innovative farming techniques and promoting the cultivation of new crops, which significantly contributed to the islands' economic development.

Moving into the 19th century, María Guanche (1820-1892) was a celebrated poet and author from Tenerife. Her works, which often celebrated the beauty of the Canary Islands and its people, played a significant role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the archipelago.

Another notable individual was Juan Guanche (1865-1938), a renowned architect and urban planner from Gran Canaria. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings and public spaces in the capital city of Las Palmas, many of which are still standing today and serve as important landmarks.

While the surname Guanche is most prevalent in the Canary Islands, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration. However, its origins and connection to the indigenous people of the Canary Islands remain a significant part of the name's rich history and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Guanche

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

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

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

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