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

Paixão, 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 Paixão surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paixão in America

Paixão is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paixão surname appeared 235 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 Paixão.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paixão 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 Paixão

The surname PAIXAO originates from Portugal, emerging in the Middle Ages around the 12th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "paixão," meaning passion or fervor, which in turn comes from the Latin word "passio," meaning suffering or enduring.

The earliest known reference to the PAIXAO name can be found in the Inquirições de D. Afonso III, a medieval Portuguese census record from the 13th century. This document mentions individuals with the surname PAIXAO residing in various regions across the country.

During the Age of Discovery, when Portuguese explorers and navigators were at the forefront of maritime exploration, the PAIXAO name gained prominence. One notable figure was João PAIXAO (1490-1542), a skilled cartographer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his historic circumnavigation of the globe.

In the 16th century, a branch of the PAIXAO family settled in the Azores, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. Records from this period show the name PAIXAO associated with landed gentry and influential families in the islands.

As Portugal expanded its colonial empire, the PAIXAO name spread to other parts of the world. In the 17th century, Manuel PAIXAO (1612-1679), a prominent Jesuit missionary, established educational institutions in Brazil and made significant contributions to the propagation of Catholicism in the region.

In the 19th century, José PAIXAO (1814-1888), a renowned Portuguese poet and writer, gained recognition for his lyrical works that celebrated the beauty of his homeland and explored themes of love and nature.

Another notable figure was Mariana PAIXAO (1860-1921), a Brazilian educator and activist who fought for women's rights and access to education. She founded several schools and played a pivotal role in advancing educational opportunities for girls and women in Brazil.

Throughout its history, the PAIXAO surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artists, religious figures, and explorers, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and global reach of the Portuguese diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paixão

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

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

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

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