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

Ornelas, 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 Ornelas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ornelas in America

Ornelas is the 1568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ornelas surname appeared 22,969 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Ornelas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ornelas 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 Ornelas

The surname Ornelas has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "ornatus," which means "ornate" or "adorned." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a decorative artist or in a profession related to ornamentation.

The earliest recorded instances of the Ornelas surname date back to the late 12th century and early 13th century in various historical documents from the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. One notable mention is in the Libro de las Behetrías, a medieval census document from the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile (1311-1350), where the name appears in reference to landowners and noblemen.

During the Age of Exploration, the Ornelas surname gained prominence as some of its bearers participated in the voyages of discovery and colonization. For instance, Pedro Ornelas was a Portuguese navigator and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his famous voyage to India in 1498. Another notable figure was Juan de Ornelas, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Ornelas family established a significant presence in the Americas, particularly in Mexico and the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. One notable individual was Diego de Ornelas, a Spanish soldier and settler who played a role in the conquest of Mexico and later became a prominent landowner in the region.

As the centuries progressed, the Ornelas surname spread across various regions, and its bearers contributed to various fields, including literature, arts, and politics. One notable example is Álvaro de Ornelas Vasconcelos, a Portuguese writer and poet who lived in the 18th century and is known for his works on historical and religious themes.

Another prominent figure with the Ornelas surname was José María Ornelas, a Mexican politician and military leader who played a significant role in the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century. He served as a general in the Mexican Army and later became the governor of the state of Coahuila.

Throughout its long history, the Ornelas surname has maintained a strong presence in various parts of the world, particularly in Spain, Portugal, and Latin American countries. Its rich heritage reflects the diverse cultural influences and contributions of its bearers across multiple generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ornelas

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

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

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

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