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

Guatemala, 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 Guatemala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Guatemala in America

Guatemala is the 40856th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Guatemala surname appeared 534 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 Guatemala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Guatemala 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 Guatemala

The surname "Guatemala" is derived from the name of the country of Guatemala in Central America. It likely originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from or had a connection to the area that became modern-day Guatemala.

The name "Guatemala" itself is believed to come from the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, meaning "land of trees." The Spanish conquistadors encountered the indigenous people of the region in the 16th century and adopted the name for the territory they colonized.

While the surname "Guatemala" is relatively rare, it can be traced back to the early days of Spanish colonization in the region. Some of the earliest records of the name may be found in colonial documents and records from the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "Guatemala" was Juan de Guatemala, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in the conquest of Guatemala in the 1520s. Juan de Guatemala played a significant role in the subjugation of the indigenous Maya peoples and the establishment of Spanish rule in the region.

Another notable figure with the surname "Guatemala" was Fray Francisco de Guatemala, a Spanish Franciscan friar who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was active in the evangelization efforts among the Maya people and is believed to have authored several religious texts in various Maya languages.

In the 18th century, Diego de Guatemala was a prominent landowner and member of the colonial elite in the Kingdom of Guatemala. He owned vast haciendas and was known for his wealth and influence in the region.

Another individual with the surname "Guatemala" was María de Guatemala, a Maya woman who lived in the late 18th century. She was renowned for her expertise in traditional Maya weaving and textiles and is said to have passed down her knowledge and techniques to future generations.

In the 19th century, José María Guatemala was a Guatemalan politician and diplomat who served as a representative of his country in various international forums. He played a role in the negotiations that led to the independence of Guatemala from Spanish rule in 1821.

While the surname "Guatemala" is relatively uncommon, it carries a rich historical legacy and connection to the nation of Guatemala and its diverse cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Guatemala

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

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

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

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