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

Menoscal, 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 Menoscal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Menoscal in America

Menoscal is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Menoscal surname appeared 108 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 Menoscal.

The history of the last name Menoscal

The surname Menoscal has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It likely derives from the Spanish word "menoscabo," meaning "diminution" or "loss," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who experienced a diminished status or loss of property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Menoscal can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a medieval hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile in the 14th century. This text mentions a location called "Menoscal" near the town of Alcaraz in the province of Albacete, which may have been the origin of the surname.

In the 15th century, records show a nobleman named Juan de Menoscal who served as a military commander under King Juan II of Aragon. He was instrumental in the conquest of Sardinia and was granted lands and titles for his service.

During the 16th century, the Menoscal family had a strong presence in the Spanish colonies of the Americas. One notable figure was Diego de Menoscal, a conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the 1520s. He later settled in the region and was granted an encomienda, a system of land distribution and labor.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Menoscal family established themselves in the Canary Islands, where the surname was sometimes spelled as "Menoscal de la Cueva." One prominent figure from this lineage was Francisco Menoscal de la Cueva, a wealthy landowner and merchant who played a significant role in the economic development of the islands.

Another notable individual with the surname Menoscal was José Menoscal y Pedroso, a Cuban politician and lawyer who served as the President of Cuba from 1913 to 1917. He was born in 1851 and was known for his efforts to promote economic development and infrastructure projects during his tenure.

Throughout its history, the surname Menoscal has been associated with various areas of Spain, including Castile, Aragon, and the Canary Islands, as well as the Spanish colonies in the Americas. While not an extremely common surname, it has left its mark on the historical records of these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Menoscal

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

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

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

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