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

Iraheta, 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 Iraheta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Iraheta in America

Iraheta is the 10132nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Iraheta surname appeared 3,182 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Iraheta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Iraheta 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 Iraheta

The surname Iraheta originated in El Salvador, a country in Central America. The name is believed to have its roots in the Nahuatl language, which was spoken by the indigenous Pipil and Náhuat people who inhabited the region before the Spanish conquest.

Iraheta is thought to be derived from the Nahuatl word "irac," meaning "cotton," and "tetl," meaning "rock" or "stone." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a place or region where cotton grew among rocky terrain. Some linguists have also proposed that the name could be related to the Nahuatl word "iracuini," meaning "to be angry" or "to be enraged."

The earliest known records of the Iraheta surname date back to the 16th century, shortly after the Spanish colonization of El Salvador. In 1550, a document from the town of Sonsonate mentions an individual named Gaspar Iraheta, who may have been one of the first recorded bearers of this surname.

During the colonial era, the Iraheta family played a significant role in the region's history. Miguel Iraheta (1790-1856) was a prominent Salvadoran politician and military leader who served as the President of El Salvador from 1839 to 1842. He was a key figure in the country's struggle for independence from Spanish rule.

Another notable bearer of the Iraheta name was Manuel Iraheta (1822-1890), a Salvadoran writer, journalist, and diplomat. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for El Salvador and was a vocal advocate for Central American unity.

In the 20th century, Carlos Iraheta (1904-1976) was a renowned Salvadoran painter and sculptor. His works, which often depicted scenes from Salvadoran rural life, are considered an important part of the country's cultural heritage.

Outside of El Salvador, the Iraheta surname has also been found in other Latin American countries, likely due to migration and intermarriage. For instance, Julio Iraheta (1921-2004) was a Chilean footballer who played for several clubs in the 1940s and 1950s.

While the Iraheta name has its origins in Nahuatl and Central America, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply tied to the region of its birth, El Salvador.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Iraheta

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

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

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

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