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 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hernández surname appeared 113 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.

The history of the last name Hernández

The surname HERNANDEZB has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval period. It derives from the Spanish personal name Hernando, which is a variant of Fernando or Ferdinand. The suffix "ez" indicates a patronymic, meaning "son of," so HERNANDEZB would have originally denoted "son of Hernando."

The earliest recorded instances of the HERNANDEZB surname can be found in historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries, particularly in regions such as Castile and Andalusia. It is believed that the name may have originated from the Basque region, where variations like Hernandez and Fernandez were more commonly found.

One of the earliest known bearers of the HERNANDEZB surname was Rodrigo Hernandez, a prominent military commander who served under King Alfonso XI of Castile in the 14th century. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Gibraltar and the victory over the Moorish forces at the Battle of Salado in 1340.

Another notable figure was Gonzalo Hernandez de Córdoba (1453-1515), a celebrated Spanish military leader and statesman known as "El Gran Capitán" (The Great Captain). He was renowned for his military exploits during the Italian Wars and is considered one of the greatest strategists of his time.

In the 16th century, the HERNANDEZB surname gained prominence with the explorer and conquistador Juan Hernandez de León, who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. He later became one of the first Spanish settlers in the region and played a role in the establishment of colonial rule.

The name also has connections to literary figures, such as Juan Hernandez de Velasco (1550-1620), a Spanish playwright and poet who was part of the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His works, including plays and lyrical poetry, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Another noteworthy bearer of the HERNANDEZB surname was Francisco Hernandez de Córdoba (1475-1517), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led the first expedition to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1517. Although his expedition was ultimately unsuccessful, it paved the way for further exploration and conquest in the region.

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.

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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