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

Otamendi, 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 Otamendi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otamendi in America

Otamendi is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otamendi surname appeared 122 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 Otamendi.

The history of the last name Otamendi

The surname Otamendi is of Spanish origin, specifically tracing its roots to the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France. It is believed to have originated in the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century.

The name Otamendi is derived from a combination of the Basque words "ota" meaning "foothill" or "low hill" and "mendi" meaning "mountain." This suggests that the name likely referred to a person or family residing in a mountainous area near foothills or lower elevations.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Otamendi surname can be found in the archives of the town of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Country, dating back to the late 15th century. It is documented that an individual named Juan de Otamendi was a prominent landowner and merchant in the region during that time.

In the 16th century, the Otamendi name appears in records related to the Spanish conquest and colonization of the Americas. Pedro de Otamendi, born around 1510, was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the expeditions of Hernán Cortés in Mexico and later became one of the first settlers in the region of modern-day Guatemala.

During the Golden Age of Spanish literature in the 17th century, there was a notable poet and playwright named Gonzalo de Otamendi, who was born in Seville around 1620. His works, though not widely known today, were celebrated in his time and contributed to the rich cultural heritage of Spain.

In the realm of science, the name Otamendi is associated with José Otamendi, a renowned Argentine physician and medical researcher who lived from 1892 to 1958. He made significant contributions to the field of neurology and was recognized for his pioneering work in the study of brain tumors and surgical techniques.

More recently, Nicolás Otamendi, born in 1988, is a professional football player from Argentina who plays as a defender for the Portuguese club Benfica and the Argentine national team. He has represented his country in multiple World Cup tournaments and is considered one of the top defenders in modern football.

Throughout its history, the Otamendi surname has been present in various regions of Spain, as well as in Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, reflecting the far-reaching influence of the Spanish colonial empire. While its exact origins may be shrouded in the mists of time, the name carries the essence of the rugged Basque landscape and the resilience of those who called it home.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otamendi

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!