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

Paso, 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 Paso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paso in America

Paso is the 129047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paso surname appeared 132 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 Paso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paso 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 Paso

The surname PASO originated in Spain during the medieval era. It is derived from the Spanish word "paso," meaning a pass or passage, particularly referring to a mountain pass or a narrow passage between mountains. The name likely originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or guarded a mountain pass.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PASO can be found in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a historical document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and properties in the region of Seville after the Reconquista. This document mentions individuals with the surname PASO, suggesting that the name was already established in Andalusia during that time.

The PASO surname is also found in various other historical records from different regions of Spain, including the Catastro de Ensenada, a census-like document from the 18th century that recorded the population and economic activities in the Crown of Castile. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of the Iberian Peninsula over the centuries.

One notable individual with the surname PASO was Juan de Paso, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in the conquest of the Philippines in the 16th century. He was born around 1535 and played a crucial role in the Spanish colonization of the Philippine archipelago.

Another prominent figure was Pedro de Paso y Troncoso (1550-1625), a Spanish conquistador and politician who served as the Governor of Florida from 1616 to 1624. He was instrumental in the establishment of Spanish settlements in the region and the exploration of the southeastern United States.

In the realm of arts and literature, José de Paso y Troncoso (1721-1790) was a notable Spanish painter and engraver who lived and worked in Madrid during the 18th century. He is best known for his religious paintings and portraiture.

The PASO surname can also be found in various place names across Spain, such as Paso de los Toros in Andalusia, Paso de Cabra in Castile-La Mancha, and Paso del Alamo in Extremadura. These place names often refer to mountain passes or narrow passages, reflecting the origins of the surname.

Another individual of note was Francisco de Paso y Troncoso (1842-1916), a Mexican historian, linguist, and diplomat who made significant contributions to the study of Mesoamerican cultures and languages. He was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and his surname likely had Spanish roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paso

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

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

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

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