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

Oñate, 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 Oñate surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oñate in America

Oñate is the 15833rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oñate surname appeared 1,838 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Oñate.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oñate 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 Oñate

The surname Onate originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Basque word "ona," meaning "good" or "fertile," and likely referred to a person who lived in a fertile or prosperous area. The name may also be linked to the town of Onate in the Basque region of Spain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Onate surname appears in a document from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain, dating back to the 11th century. This document mentions an individual named Sancho Onate, suggesting the name's existence during that time.

In the 16th century, Juan de Onate, a Spanish explorer and colonial governor, played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of New Mexico. Born in 1550 in Zacatecas, Mexico, he led an expedition to establish the first permanent European settlement in New Mexico in 1598, founding the colony of New Mexico.

Another notable individual with the Onate surname was Gaspar de Onate, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Juan de Onate on his expedition to New Mexico in the late 16th century. He served as Juan's second-in-command and played a crucial role in the establishment of the colony.

In the 17th century, Francisco de Onate, a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator, served as the governor of the Philippines from 1670 to 1677. He was born in Mexico City in 1629 and played a significant role in the Spanish colonial administration in the Philippines.

During the 19th century, José María Onatre y Pascual, a Spanish writer and journalist, gained recognition for his literary works. Born in 1808 in Valencia, Spain, he wrote several novels and plays that explored social and political themes of his time.

Over the centuries, the Onate surname has undergone various spellings, including Oñate, Onate, Onati, and Onatea, reflecting regional variations and linguistic adaptations. Despite these variations, the name's origins can be traced back to its Basque roots and the fertile regions of Spain where it first emerged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oñate

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

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

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

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