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

Pecos, 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 Pecos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pecos in America

Pecos is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pecos surname appeared 150 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 Pecos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pecos 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 Pecos

The surname Pecos is of Spanish origin, originating from the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors explored and colonized the Americas. The name is derived from the Pecos River, which flows through New Mexico and Texas. The Pecos River was named after the indigenous Pecos Pueblo people who inhabited the area.

The Pecos Pueblo, also known as Cicuye or Cicuique, was one of the largest and most important pueblos in the Southwest region. It was first documented by the Spanish explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in 1540 during his expedition to find the legendary Seven Cities of Gold. Coronado's chroniclers provided detailed accounts of the Pecos Pueblo and its inhabitants, marking the first recorded instances of the name.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Pecos was Juan Pecos, a Native American from the Pecos Pueblo, who served as a guide for the Spanish explorer Juan de Oñate during his expedition to establish the Province of New Mexico in 1598. Pecos played a crucial role in facilitating communication and negotiations between the Spanish and the indigenous peoples.

In the 17th century, the Pecos surname appeared in various Spanish colonial records, particularly those related to land grants and legal documents. One notable figure was Diego Pecos, a landowner and rancher who received a land grant in the Río Arriba region of New Mexico in 1685.

During the Mexican-American War in the 19th century, Pedro Pecos was a prominent figure who fought alongside the Mexican forces against the United States. He was born in 1810 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and served as a military leader during the conflict.

Another notable individual with the surname Pecos was María Pecos, a Pueblo woman from the Pecos Pueblo who played a significant role in preserving the cultural heritage and traditions of her people. She was born in 1845 and worked tirelessly to pass down the knowledge and teachings of her ancestors to younger generations.

Throughout history, the Pecos surname has been closely tied to the Pecos Pueblo and the Pecos River region, reflecting the rich cultural and historical significance of these places in the American Southwest. Despite its origins in the 16th century, the surname continues to be carried by individuals of Spanish and Native American descent, serving as a lasting reminder of the region's diverse cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pecos

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

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

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

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