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

Hernández, 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 Hernández surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hernández in America

Hernández is the 79598th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hernández surname appeared 239 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 Hernández.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hernández 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 Hernández

The surname HERNANDEC has its origins in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the late medieval period in Spain. It is believed to have originated as a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Hernando, which itself is a Spanish form of the Germanic name Ferdinand.

Early records of the HERNANDEC surname can be found in various regions of Spain, particularly in areas such as Andalusia, Castile, and Aragon. The name may have evolved from earlier spellings like Hernandez or Fernandez, as the use of spellings and surnames was not standardized during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HERNANDEC surname dates back to the 14th century, when a certain Juan HERNANDEC was mentioned in a document from the city of Seville in 1387. This suggests that the name was already established and in use during that time period.

Throughout the centuries, the HERNANDEC surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One prominent example is Miguel HERNANDEC (1564-1636), a Spanish playwright and poet who gained recognition during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Another notable figure was Francisca HERNANDEC (1503-1581), a Spanish noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable works.

In the realm of exploration and discovery, Hernando HERNANDEC (1488-1542) was a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico and played a significant role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

The HERNANDEC surname also found its way to the Americas during the Spanish colonization period, where it took root in various regions, particularly in Mexico and parts of Central and South America.

It is worth noting that the HERNANDEC surname may have evolved or been influenced by various place names or geographic locations in Spain, such as the town of Hernández in the province of Ávila or the village of Hernandos in the province of Segovia.

Overall, the HERNANDEC surname has a rich history rooted in the Spanish language and culture, with its origins dating back to the late medieval period and its presence spanning across various regions of Spain and the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hernández

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

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

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

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