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

Monsanto, 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 Monsanto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Monsanto in America

Monsanto is the 28023rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monsanto surname appeared 855 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 Monsanto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Monsanto 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 Monsanto

The surname Monsanto originates from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal. It is believed to have derived from a Portuguese place name. The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the 12th century.

Monsanto was initially a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or came from a specific location bearing that name. The name Monsanto likely has its roots in the Latin words "mons" meaning "mountain" and "sanctus" meaning "holy" or "consecrated." This suggests that the name could have originated from a settlement or area near a sacred or holy mountain.

One of the earliest known historical references to the name Monsanto can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical record compiled in the 13th century. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Monsanto, indicating its prevalence in Portugal during that time period.

In the 14th century, records show a prominent figure named Afonso de Monsanto, who served as a knight and military commander under King Afonso IV of Portugal. He participated in the Reconquista, the campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule.

Another notable individual with this surname was João de Monsanto, a 15th-century Portuguese navigator and explorer. He accompanied Bartolomeu Dias on his voyage to the Cape of Good Hope in 1487-1488, and later led his own expeditions along the West African coast.

During the 16th century, the name Monsanto appeared in various historical documents, such as the "Livro da Nobreza e Perfeiçam das Armas" (Book of Nobility and Perfection of Arms), a Portuguese heraldic manuscript compiled in 1521. This work references several noble families bearing the Monsanto surname.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Luís de Monsanto served as a diplomat and ambassador for Portugal, representing the country in various European courts. He played a significant role in negotiating treaties and alliances during his diplomatic career.

It is noteworthy that the surname Monsanto has also been associated with several place names in Portugal, such as Monsanto (a municipality in the Idanha-a-Nova district) and Monsanto da Beira (a village in the Covilhã municipality). These place names likely share a common origin with the surname, further reinforcing its Portuguese roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monsanto

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

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

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

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