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

Necoechea, 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 Necoechea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Necoechea in America

Necoechea is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Necoechea surname appeared 129 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 Necoechea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Necoechea 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 Necoechea

The surname Necoechea originates from the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Basque words "neko" meaning "farm" and "etxea" meaning "house," suggesting it may have initially referred to a farmhouse or an agricultural property.

The earliest known record of the Necoechea name appears in a document from the town of Salinas de Añana, in the Basque province of Álava, Spain, dated around 1250. This document mentions a landholder named Sancho Necoechea, indicating the surname's association with landowners and the agricultural community of the region.

In the 14th century, records from the nearby town of Vitoria-Gasteiz mention a Lope Necoechea, who served as a local magistrate and held significant influence in the area. This suggests that by this time, the Necoechea family had established itself as a prominent lineage within the Basque community.

As the Necoechea name spread throughout the Basque region and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Necochea, Necocheya, and Nekoetxea. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling conventions during the medieval and early modern periods, as well as the influence of local dialects and pronunciations.

One notable figure with the Necoechea surname was Juan Necoechea (1592-1671), a renowned Basque artist and sculptor who specialized in religious art. His works adorned numerous churches and cathedrals throughout northern Spain, showcasing the artistic talent within the Necoechea family.

Another prominent individual was María Necoechea (1680-1738), a Basque noblewoman and landowner who played a pivotal role in the region's agricultural and economic development. Her legacy is remembered through the preservation of several historic farmhouses and vineyards that bear the Necoechea name.

In the 19th century, Ignacio Necoechea (1812-1892) gained recognition as a pioneer in the field of education, establishing several schools and advocating for increased access to education in the Basque region. His efforts contributed to the intellectual and cultural enrichment of the local community.

During the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, Joaquín Necoechea (1901-1979) was a prominent military officer who fought on the Nationalist side. His actions and leadership during the conflict earned him respect and recognition within the armed forces of the time.

Over the centuries, the Necoechea surname has maintained a strong presence in the Basque region, with many individuals bearing this name making significant contributions to various aspects of society, including art, agriculture, education, and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Necoechea

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

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

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

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