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

Ortiz, 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 Ortiz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ortiz in America

Ortiz is the 68th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ortiz surname appeared 286,899 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 97 people would have the surname Ortiz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ortiz 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 Ortiz

The surname Ortiz originated in Spain and has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Spanish word "ortiz," which means "gardener" or "orchardist." It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname during the medieval period, referring to individuals who worked as gardeners or tended orchards.

In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Ortyz" or "Ortis," reflecting regional variations and linguistic evolution over time. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ortiz can be found in historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, particularly in regions such as Andalusia and Castile.

One notable historical reference to the name Ortiz is found in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a record of land distribution after the reconquest of Seville in 1248. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Ortiz, indicating their presence in the area during that time period.

Among the earliest recorded bearers of the Ortiz surname was Pedro Ortiz de Zúñiga, a 15th-century Spanish nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Reconquista and the conquest of Granada. Another prominent figure from that era was Juan Ortiz, a Spanish explorer and interpreter who accompanied Hernando de Soto's expedition to Florida in the 16th century.

In the 16th century, Juan Ortiz de Zárate, a Spanish conquistador and explorer, was appointed as the first governor of the Río de la Plata region in present-day Argentina and Paraguay. He played a crucial role in establishing Spanish settlements in the region.

During the 17th century, José Ortiz de Velasco, a Spanish military officer and administrator, served as the governor of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1696 to 1701. His tenure was marked by efforts to improve the administration and defense of the territory.

Another notable figure with the surname Ortiz was José Ortiz de Urbina, a Spanish naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Pacific Northwest in the late 18th century, contributing significantly to the exploration and mapping of the region.

Over the centuries, the Ortiz surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, musicians, and politicians. While the name is most prevalent in Spain and Latin American countries with Spanish colonial heritage, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ortiz

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

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

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

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