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

Hidalgo, 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 Hidalgo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hidalgo in America

Hidalgo is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hidalgo surname appeared 202 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 Hidalgo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo

The surname Hidalgo originates from Spain and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "hidalgo," which initially referred to a low-ranking member of the nobility. The term comes from the Latin root "filius de aliquo," meaning "son of someone."

Historically, Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes and enjoyed certain privileges, though they were not as wealthy or powerful as the higher nobility. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hidalgo can be found in medieval Spanish documents and records from regions like Castile and Aragon.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hidalgo was Juan Hidalgo de Polanco, a Spanish sailor and explorer born in the late 15th century. He accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493 and played a crucial role in establishing the Spanish colony on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

Another notable figure was Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753-1811), a Mexican Catholic priest and revolutionary leader. He is celebrated as the Father of Mexican Independence for his pivotal role in igniting the Mexican War of Independence against Spanish colonial rule in 1810.

In the 16th century, Juan Hidalgo de Mendoza (c. 1520-1589) was a Spanish painter and sculptor known for his religious works and contributions to the Renaissance art movement in Spain.

During the 17th century, Gaspar Hidalgo (1619-1688), a Spanish composer and organist, gained recognition for his contributions to the development of baroque music and his work at the Royal Chapel in Madrid.

In the 19th century, José María Hidalgo y Esnaurrízar (1808-1877) was a prominent Mexican author, journalist, and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Benito Juárez.

While the surname Hidalgo has its roots in Spain, it has spread to various parts of the world, particularly Latin American countries like Mexico, due to Spanish colonization and migration. The name has also been adapted and incorporated into different linguistic and cultural contexts over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hidalgo

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

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

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

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