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

Orrala, 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 Orrala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orrala in America

Orrala is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orrala surname appeared 210 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 Orrala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orrala 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 Orrala

The surname Orrala can be traced back to the northern regions of Spain, particularly the Basque Country, in the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Basque language, where the prefix "orr-" is derived from the word "orre," meaning "hillock" or "small hill." The suffix "-ala" is a common Basque diminutive, indicating a smaller or lesser form of something.

One of the earliest known references to the name Orrala can be found in a 12th-century document from the Basque region, where it was spelled "Orralla." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet established.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Juan de Orrala was mentioned in local records as a landowner in the village of Eibar, in the province of Gipuzkoa. His descendants carried on the Orrala name for generations, contributing to the spread of the surname throughout the Basque region.

During the 14th century, the Orrala family expanded their influence, with Pedro Orrala becoming a respected blacksmith in the town of Azpeitia. His skill in metalworking earned him recognition, and his family's legacy was further solidified in the region.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Catalina Orrala was mentioned in historical documents as a skilled embroiderer and textile artist. Her intricate needlework adorned the vestments of several prominent churches in the Basque Country, showcasing the artistic talents associated with the Orrala name.

Another prominent individual bearing the Orrala surname was Miguel Orrala, born in 1678 in the town of Elgeta. He served as a respected magistrate and played a significant role in resolving local disputes and upholding justice in the region during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

As the Orrala family continued to spread throughout the Basque Country and beyond, the surname underwent various spelling variations, such as Orralaa, Orralla, and Orralaza, reflecting the linguistic diversity and regional dialects of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orrala

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

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

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

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