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

Machuca, 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 Machuca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Machuca in America

Machuca is the 5475th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Machuca surname appeared 6,351 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Machuca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Machuca 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 Machuca

The surname Machuca is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "mashq," which means "passage" or "narrow path," referring to a geographical feature in Spain during the Moorish rule.

Machuca is thought to have originated in the region of Andalusia, particularly in the provinces of Seville and Cordoba. The earliest known records of the name can be found in municipal archives and census records from these areas, dating back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Machuca appears in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla," a document detailing the distribution of land and properties in Seville after the Reconquista in 1248. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Machuca, indicating their presence in the region at that time.

The name Machuca is also linked to the town of Machuca, located in the province of Jaén, which may have served as the basis for the surname. This town was likely named after the Arabic word "mashq," further reinforcing the potential Arabic influence on the surname's origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Machuca. One such person was Juan de Machuca (1490-1550), a Spanish architect and sculptor who worked on various projects in Granada and Seville during the Renaissance period.

Another prominent figure was Pedro de Machuca (1492-1550), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who accompanied Francisco Pizarro on his expeditions to Peru in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the conquest of the Inca Empire.

In the 17th century, Andrés de Machuca (1627-1689) was a Spanish painter known for his religious works, particularly his paintings in the Convento de San José in Seville.

During the 18th century, José de Machuca (1718-1786) was a Spanish military officer and engineer who served in the Spanish Army and contributed to the construction of fortifications in various Spanish territories.

In more recent times, Carlos Machuca (1924-2008) was a renowned Chilean filmmaker and screenwriter, known for his contributions to the development of Chilean cinema in the latter half of the 20th century.

While the surname Machuca has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Latin America and other regions with Spanish influence, due to migration and colonization. However, its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, where it first emerged as a distinct surname during the Moorish era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Machuca

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

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

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

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