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

Pastora, 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 Pastora surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pastora in America

Pastora is the 51396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pastora surname appeared 405 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 Pastora.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pastora 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 Pastora

The surname Pastora is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is derived from the Spanish word "pastor," meaning "shepherd" or "herdsman." This occupational surname was initially given to individuals who worked as shepherds, tending to flocks of sheep or other livestock.

In its early days, the name Pastora was predominantly found in regions of Spain with a strong agricultural and pastoral tradition, such as Castile, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is believed that some of the earliest records of this surname can be found in local parish registers and municipal archives from these areas, dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

One notable historical reference to the surname Pastora can be found in the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Pedro de Pastora, a Spanish explorer born in Seville around 1490, accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in 1519. Pastora played a crucial role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and was later granted land and titles for his services to the Spanish crown.

In the 17th century, the Pastora surname appeared in various parts of Spain's colonial empire, including the Philippines and Latin America. Juan de Pastora (1620-1678), a Spanish missionary and linguist, spent several decades working among the indigenous populations of the Philippines, where he produced significant works documenting their languages and customs.

Another prominent figure bearing the Pastora name was María de Pastora (1765-1831), a Venezuelan revolutionary who fought alongside Simón Bolívar in the wars of independence against Spanish colonial rule. Her bravery and leadership during these conflicts earned her the moniker "La Madre de la Patria" (The Mother of the Nation).

In the 19th century, the Pastora surname gained further recognition with the birth of Pascual Pastora (1828-1892), a Spanish military officer and politician who played a significant role in the Carlist Wars, a series of civil conflicts over the succession to the Spanish throne.

As the Pastora surname spread across the Spanish-speaking world, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and the Americas through migration and intermarriage. Notable individuals with this surname include the Mexican artist José Pastora (1890-1964), known for his vibrant depictions of rural life, and the Argentine writer and journalist Emilio Pastora (1901-1978), an influential voice in Latin American literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pastora

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

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

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

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