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

Ocasio, 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 Ocasio surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ocasio in America

Ocasio is the 3815th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ocasio surname appeared 9,293 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Ocasio.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ocasio 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 Ocasio

The surname Ocasio has its origins in Spain, emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "ocasion," which means "opportunity" or "occasion." This name likely originated as a descriptive surname, possibly referring to someone who was born or arrived on a significant occasion or at an opportune time.

The earliest records of the Ocasio surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Castile, located in central Spain. It is believed that the name may have been associated with a specific location or village, as was common practice during that era, but the exact place of origin is unclear.

Ocasio appears in various historical documents throughout Spanish history, including the Libro de la Nobleza de Castilla (Book of the Nobility of Castile) from the 15th century. This record lists several individuals bearing the Ocasio surname, indicating that the name had already established itself within the Spanish nobility by that time.

One notable historical figure with the Ocasio surname was Juan de Ocasio, a 16th-century Spanish explorer and navigator. He was involved in several expeditions to the Americas and is credited with mapping parts of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

In the 17th century, Pedro de Ocasio y Leyva, a Spanish military officer, played a significant role in the defense of Spain's territories in the Netherlands during the Eighty Years' War against the Dutch Republic.

During the 18th century, Doña María Ocasio y Velázquez, a wealthy landowner from Seville, gained prominence for her philanthropic efforts and contributions to the local community.

Another individual with the Ocasio surname was José Ocasio, a 19th-century Spanish poet and writer. He was known for his romantic verses and his works celebrating the beauty of Andalusia, his home region.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the Ocasio surname spread to various parts of the world, including Latin America and the Caribbean. In more recent times, notable individuals with this surname include the American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2018.

While the Ocasio surname may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its Spanish roots and connection to the concept of "opportunity" or "occasion" remain a consistent thread throughout its rich historical journey.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ocasio

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

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

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

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