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

Oro, 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 Oro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oro in America

Oro is the 35203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oro surname appeared 640 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 Oro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oro 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 Oro

The surname Oro is of Spanish origin, with its roots tracing back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Spanish word "oro," which translates to "gold" in English. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with goldsmiths, miners, or individuals involved in the gold trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Oro can be found in the municipal archives of Seville, Spain, dating back to 1532. This document mentions a certain Pedro de Oro, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region. Another notable figure bearing this surname was Juan de Oro, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

The Oro surname also appears in various historical records from other parts of Spain, such as Catalonia and Aragon. In the 17th century, the name was particularly prevalent in the city of Barcelona, where several families with the Oro surname were documented as successful traders and merchants.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the Americas, the Oro surname traveled with the colonists and explorers. One notable figure was Francisco de Oro, a Spanish conquistador who played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of present-day Chile in the mid-16th century.

Another prominent individual with the Oro surname was Gaspar de Oro, a Spanish military officer and governor of the Captaincy General of Guatemala in the late 17th century. He was known for his efforts in establishing settlements and fortifications in the region, as well as for his role in suppressing indigenous uprisings.

In the realm of literature, the Oro surname is associated with Juan de Oro, a Spanish poet and playwright from the 16th century. Although little is known about his life, his works, which included comedies and religious plays, were widely celebrated during his time.

While the Oro surname is primarily of Spanish origin, it has also been adopted by families in other countries, particularly in Latin America, due to the influence of Spanish colonization and migration. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical significance of this surname are firmly rooted in Spain and its colonial endeavors throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oro

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

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

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

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