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

Peláez, 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 Peláez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peláez in America

Peláez is the 5929th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peláez surname appeared 5,810 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 Peláez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peláez 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 Peláez

The surname Pelaez has its origins in Spain, originating during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "pelaez," which refers to a person with light or blonde hair. This name is thought to have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for individuals with this physical characteristic before eventually being adopted as a hereditary surname.

The earliest known records of the Pelaez surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the northern regions of Spain, particularly in the areas of Asturias and Cantabria. During this time, the name appeared in various historical documents and records, including local parish registers and property deeds.

One notable historical reference to the Pelaez name can be found in the "Becerro de Behetrías," a 14th-century manuscript that documented the nobility and landowners in the regions of Castile and León. This document mentions several individuals bearing the Pelaez surname, suggesting their presence and influence in these areas.

In the 15th century, the Pelaez family established themselves as prominent landowners and noble figures in the region of Asturias. One notable member of this family was Rodrigo Pelaez de Villaviciosa (1430-1498), who served as a military commander and played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold on the Iberian Peninsula.

Another distinguished individual with the Pelaez surname was Pedro Pelaez de Sotomayor (1490-1562), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico. He was instrumental in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and later served as a governor in various regions of New Spain (present-day Mexico).

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Pelaez surname spread throughout Spain and its colonies in the Americas. Notably, Juan Pelaez de Berrio (1550-1618) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who established the settlement of Guayana (present-day Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela) and served as its first governor.

In more recent times, notable bearers of the Pelaez surname include Manuel Pelaez (1890-1953), a Mexican politician and writer who served as the governor of the state of Nuevo León, and Mariano Pelaez (1922-2009), a Cuban-American artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peláez

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

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

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

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