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

Montero, 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 Montero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Montero in America

Montero is the 2090th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Montero surname appeared 17,314 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Montero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Montero 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 Montero

The surname Montero originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "montero," which means "huntsman" or "forester." This name initially referred to individuals who lived in or near forests and mountains, and whose occupations involved hunting or forestry.

The earliest known record of the Montero surname dates back to the 13th century in the region of Castile, where it was often associated with individuals who served as huntsmen or foresters for the nobility. One notable example is Rodrigo Montero, who was a huntsman in the court of King Alfonso X of Castile in the mid-13th century.

In the 15th century, the Montero surname began to appear in official records and documents across various regions of Spain. For instance, in the "Libro Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla" (Book of the Lordships of Castile), a document from the reign of King Pedro I, several individuals with the surname Montero are mentioned as landowners and taxpayers.

As the surname spread throughout Spain, it also acquired variations in spelling, such as Monteros, Monterro, and Montera. Some of these variations were influenced by the regional dialects and linguistic variations across different parts of the country.

One notable individual with the Montero surname was Juan Montero, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. He was born in Seville around 1490 and played a significant role in the fall of the Aztec Empire.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Pedro Montero, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his religious artworks and was commissioned to create several altarpieces and sculptures for churches in Seville and surrounding areas. Montero was born in Seville in 1619 and died in the same city in 1678.

In the 18th century, the Montero surname gained prominence in the Americas, particularly in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, as Spanish colonists and settlers brought the name with them during the colonial era.

One notable individual from this period was José María Montero, a Mexican military officer and politician who played a significant role in the Mexican War of Independence. He was born in Tlaxcala, Mexico, in 1784 and fought alongside Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, one of the leaders of the independence movement.

Throughout history, the Montero surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, ranging from hunters and foresters to artists, military personnel, and political leaders. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Spain, the name has since spread globally, reflecting the diverse and rich cultural heritage of the Spanish-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Montero

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

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

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

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