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

Guimarães, 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 Guimarães surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Guimarães in America

Guimarães is the 21144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Guimarães surname appeared 1,242 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 Guimarães.

We can also compare 2010 data for Guimarães 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 Guimarães

The surname Guimaraes has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Portuguese town of Guimarães, located in the northern region of the country. The town's name itself comes from the ancient Celtic Vimaranis or Vimara, which means "sacred place."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Guimaraes can be found in the Inquirições de D. Afonso III, a 13th-century census conducted by King Afonso III of Portugal. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, suggesting its widespread use during this time.

In the 14th century, the Guimaraes surname appears in various records, including the Chancelaria Régia, a collection of royal decrees and documents. One notable figure from this period is João Guimaraes, a nobleman who served as the alcaide (governor) of the Castle of Guimarães in the late 1300s.

The 15th century saw the rise of the influential Guimaraes family, with members holding prominent positions in the Portuguese court. One such individual was Pedro Guimaraes, a trusted advisor to King João II, who lived from 1455 to 1495.

During the Age of Discovery, the Guimaraes surname gained further prominence as Portuguese explorers and navigators ventured across the globe. The famous explorer Fernão de Guimaraes, born in 1490, played a significant role in the colonization of Brazil, serving as the first captain-general of the captaincy of São Vicente.

Another notable figure was Rui Guimaraes, a 16th-century Portuguese chronicler and historian. His work, "História dos Portugueses nas Conquistas das Índias," provided valuable insights into the Portuguese exploration and conquest of the East Indies.

In the 18th century, the Guimaraes surname was associated with the Portuguese nobility, with several members holding titles and estates. One such individual was Baltasar Guimaraes, the 1st Count of Guimaraes, who lived from 1720 to 1795.

As the centuries passed, the Guimaraes surname spread beyond Portugal, carried by individuals who migrated to other parts of the world. Notable bearers of the name include the Brazilian poet Alphonsus de Guimaraens (1870-1921) and the Mexican writer Carlos Guimaraes (1899-1962).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Guimarães

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

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

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

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