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

Mezquita, 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 Mezquita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mezquita in America

Mezquita is the 36900th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mezquita surname appeared 605 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 Mezquita.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mezquita 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 Mezquita

The surname Mezquita has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the 8th century during the Moorish invasion and occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. It is derived from the Spanish word "mezquita," which means "mosque." This suggests that the name likely originated from an individual or family associated with a mosque or living in close proximity to one.

The name can be found in various historical records from the medieval period in Spain, particularly in regions with a strong Moorish influence, such as Andalusia, Valencia, and parts of Aragon. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in a document from the 12th century, which mentions a certain "Abdelrahman Mezquita" as a landowner in the city of Cordoba.

During the 14th century, the name Mezquita gained prominence when a family of that name held significant influence in the Kingdom of Valencia. Records show that a certain Juan Mezquita served as a high-ranking official in the court of King Pedro IV of Aragon, known as "the Ceremonious."

In the 16th century, the name Mezquita is associated with the Spanish colonization of the Americas. One notable individual was Hernán Mezquita, a conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in 1519. Another figure was Pedro Mezquita, a Jesuit missionary who established several missions in present-day Paraguay in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Mezquita appears in records from the Spanish Inquisition, suggesting that some members of the family may have been subjected to scrutiny due to their suspected Moorish ancestry or religious affiliations.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Mezquita was Manuel Mezquita y Rodríguez (1783-1844), a Spanish military officer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Spain briefly in 1843.

Other notable individuals with the surname Mezquita include:

1. Antonio Mezquita (1848-1924), a Spanish painter and illustrator known for his works depicting scenes from Spanish history and culture.
2. María Mezquita (1892-1970), a Spanish writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and education.
3. Julio Mezquita (1914-1993), a Mexican architect and urban planner who designed numerous public buildings and housing projects in Mexico City.
4. Ángel Mezquita (1918-2008), a Spanish composer and conductor who wrote several operas and orchestral works.
5. Ignacio Mezquita (born 1947), a Chilean-born Spanish filmmaker and screenwriter known for his socially conscious movies exploring themes of immigration and cultural identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mezquita

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

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

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

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