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 140157th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hidalgo surname appeared 119 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.

The history of the last name Hidalgo

The surname "HILDALGO" originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish words "hidalgo," meaning a member of the lower nobility or gentry, and "hijo de," meaning "son of." This suggests that the name was initially used to denote the offspring of a nobleman or a person of high social standing.

In its earliest form, the name was often spelled as "Hidalgo," and variations such as "Hidalgo de," "de Hidalgo," or "Hidalgo y" were also common, indicating a connection to a specific location or family lineage. The name's roots can be traced back to the 11th century, when the concept of hidalguía, or nobility, emerged in the region of Castile.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Hildalgo" can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century, which mentions individuals with this surname. Additionally, the Becerro de las Behetrías, a historical document from the 14th century, contains references to several Hidalgo families in the regions of Castile and León.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "Hildalgo" throughout history include:

1. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753-1811), a Mexican Catholic priest and revolutionary leader who initiated the Mexican War of Independence.
2. Juan Hidalgo de Polanco (c. 1614-1690), a Spanish painter known for his works depicting religious themes and scenes from everyday life.
3. Gaspar Hidalgo (c. 1691-1742), a Spanish artist recognized for his still-life paintings and depictions of bodegones, or tavern scenes.
4. José Hidalgo Gato (1619-1708), a Spanish dramatist and poet who wrote several plays and contributed to the development of the Spanish Golden Age theater.
5. Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros (1756-1829), a Spanish naval officer and explorer who led expeditions to the northwest coast of America and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The surname "Hildalgo" has also been associated with various place names and locations across Spain, such as Hidalgo de la Vega, a municipality in the province of Palencia, and Hidalgo del Parral, a town in the province of Cáceres. These place names often reflect the presence of Hidalgo families or individuals who held influential positions in those areas.

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.

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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