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

Ortal, 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 Ortal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ortal in America

Ortal is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ortal surname appeared 105 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 Ortal.

The history of the last name Ortal

The surname ORTAL has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "hortalis," which means "of or pertaining to a garden" or "from the garden." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who worked as gardeners, horticulturists, or lived near gardens or orchards.

The earliest recorded instances of the name ORTAL can be traced back to the 13th century in various medieval documents and records from the Kingdom of Aragon. One notable example is the mention of a certain Pedro Ortal in a land registry from the city of Valencia, dated 1278.

As the name spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula and beyond, it underwent minor spelling variations, such as Ortall, Hortall, and Hortals. These variations likely reflected regional dialects and scribal conventions of the time.

In the 14th century, the name ORTAL appeared in the records of the Kingdom of Majorca, where a merchant named Guillem Ortal was documented as conducting trade with Italian cities like Genoa and Venice. This suggests that the name had gained some prominence among the mercantile class of the time.

During the 15th century, the ORTAL surname was found in the records of the Inquisition in Spain, indicating that some individuals bearing this name may have been persecuted or investigated by the Spanish Inquisition.

One notable figure from this period was Jaume Ortal, a Catalan artist and sculptor who lived in the late 15th century. He is known for his contributions to the architectural and artistic embellishments of several churches and cathedrals in Barcelona and its surrounding areas.

In the 16th century, the ORTAL surname gained greater prominence, with several individuals bearing this name becoming noteworthy figures. One such person was Miquel Ortal, a Valencian poet and playwright who lived between 1520 and 1594. His works, written in the Valencian dialect, were highly regarded and contributed to the literary traditions of the region.

Another significant figure from this period was Joan Baptista Ortal, a Catalan theologian and philosopher who lived from 1551 to 1626. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and authored several treatises on theology and metaphysics.

In the 17th century, the ORTAL surname expanded beyond the Iberian Peninsula, with some individuals bearing this name migrating to the Americas and other parts of Europe. One such individual was Pedro Ortal, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the Caribbean and Central America in the early 1600s.

While the surname ORTAL is not among the most common surnames today, it has a rich history and can be found in various regions of Spain, as well as in countries with significant Spanish influence or migration, such as Mexico, Argentina, and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ortal

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

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 Ortal 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.

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

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

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