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

Jaco, 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 Jaco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jaco in America

Jaco is the 13551st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jaco surname appeared 2,237 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 Jaco.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jaco 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 Jaco

The surname Jaco originated in Spain and is derived from the personal name Jacob, which has its roots in the Hebrew name Ya'akov, meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows." The name gained prominence in Spain during the Middle Ages and was often associated with the Jewish community in the region.

Jaco is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 13th century, with early records indicating its use in various parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Aragon and Catalonia. It is likely that the name was initially adopted by individuals who had converted from Judaism to Christianity during the Inquisition era, as they took on surnames derived from their former given names.

In the 14th century, the name Jaco appeared in several historical documents from the Kingdom of Aragon, including tax records and municipal registers. One notable mention is found in the Archivo de la Corona de Aragón, which references a certain Juan Jaco, a merchant from the city of Barcelona, who lived during the late 1300s.

As the name spread across Spain, it also underwent variations in spelling, such as Jacco, Jacó, and Jacó. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and linguistic differences within the Spanish territories.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Jaco was Hernán Jaco, a Spanish explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Another notable figure was Juan Jaco de Espinosa, a prominent architect from Toledo who designed several churches and public buildings in the city during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Diego Jaco de Silva (1619-1689), a renowned Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits of nobility. His artistic contributions are still celebrated in various museums and galleries across Spain.

Another significant bearer of the surname was María Jaco de la Vega (1668-1738), a Spanish playwright and poet who wrote several popular comedies and plays during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Her works were widely acclaimed and influential in the development of Spanish theater.

As the surname spread beyond Spain, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas through Spanish colonization and migration. For example, in the late 18th century, there was a notable Jaco family in the Spanish colony of Louisiana, with several members holding prominent positions in the local government and military.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jaco

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

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

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

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