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

Parga, 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 Parga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parga in America

Parga is the 15477th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parga surname appeared 1,892 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Parga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parga 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 Parga

The surname PARGA is of Spanish origin, deriving from the town of Parga in the province of Lugo, Galicia. The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, with the earliest recorded instances appearing in medieval Spanish records.

PARGA is thought to have stemmed from the Latin word "parra," meaning "vine" or "grapevine." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who cultivated vineyards or resided in areas abundant with grapevines.

One notable historical reference to the surname PARGA can be found in the 14th century "Libro de la Montería," a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This text mentioned a certain Pedro PARGA, who was likely a landowner or nobleman associated with the region of Parga.

In the 16th century, records from the Inquisition trials in Spain reveal the existence of a family by the name of PARGA residing in the town of Seville. This suggests that the surname had spread from its northern origins to other parts of the country by that time.

Some of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the PARGA surname include Juan PARGA, born in 1512 in Galicia, who was a renowned scholar and theologian at the University of Salamanca, and Rodrigo PARGA, born in 1567 in Seville, who was a prominent merchant and trader in the Spanish colonies of the Americas.

Another notable figure was María PARGA, born in 1702 in Cádiz, who was a celebrated poet and writer during the Spanish Baroque period. Her works were widely acclaimed and influenced the literary culture of her time.

In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the PARGA surname was General José PARGA, born in 1787 in Lugo, who served in the Spanish army during the Peninsular War against the French invasion. He played a significant role in the defense of his homeland and became a celebrated military hero.

Throughout history, the surname PARGA has been associated with various professions, including scholars, merchants, writers, and military figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parga

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

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

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

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