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

Pedro, 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 Pedro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pedro in America

Pedro is the 5246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pedro surname appeared 6,649 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Pedro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pedro 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 Pedro

The surname Pedro has its origins in Portugal, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages as a patronymic name derived from the given name Pedro, the Portuguese form of Peter. This name ultimately stems from the ancient Greek name Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone."

Pedro was a relatively common surname in medieval Portugal, particularly in the northern regions. It can be traced back to the 12th century, with early recorded instances appearing in various municipal and ecclesiastical records from that era. One notable example is a certain João Pedro, a nobleman mentioned in a charter from the city of Coimbra dated 1187.

Throughout the centuries, the Pedro surname spread across the Portuguese territories and colonies, carried by settlers, explorers, and immigrants. It became particularly prevalent in Brazil, which was colonized by Portugal and received a significant influx of Portuguese settlers from the 16th century onwards.

While the name Pedro itself has biblical origins, referring to the apostle Peter, there are no known direct historical references to this particular surname in major medieval manuscripts or chronicles. However, it is likely that individuals bearing this surname were involved in various historical events and contexts, given its long-standing presence in Portugal and its associated territories.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Pedro was Álvaro Pedro, a 14th-century Portuguese nobleman and military leader who participated in the Reconquista, the Christian campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule. He was born around 1320 and played a prominent role in several battles against the Moors.

Another notable figure was João Pedro, a 16th-century Portuguese explorer and navigator who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous circumnavigation voyage from 1519 to 1522. Though Pedro did not complete the entire journey, he was part of the expedition's crew during its initial stages.

In the 17th century, António Pedro was a respected Portuguese architect and master builder who designed and constructed several churches and other significant buildings in Lisbon and other parts of Portugal. His work left a lasting impact on the architectural landscape of the country.

Moving to the 19th century, José Pedro was a renowned Brazilian poet and journalist who played a pivotal role in the Romantic literary movement in Brazil. Born in 1820, he published several acclaimed works and was actively involved in the country's cultural and intellectual circles.

More recently, in the 20th century, Pedro Almodóvar, the celebrated Spanish filmmaker, has brought international recognition to the surname Pedro. Born in 1949, he is known for his distinctive and provocative cinematic style, and has received numerous accolades, including Academy Awards, for his critically acclaimed films.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pedro

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

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

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

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