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

Pelas, 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 Pelas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pelas in America

Pelas is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pelas surname appeared 125 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 Pelas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pelas 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 Pelas

The surname PELAS originates from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically Spain and Portugal, where it was first recorded in the late 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Latin word "pellis," meaning skin or hide, suggesting a possible connection to an occupation related to leather or fur trade.

One of the earliest known references to the PELAS surname can be found in the archives of Castile, where a document from 1492 mentions a certain Juan Pelas, a merchant from Seville. Another early record dates back to 1507, when a Francisco Pelas was registered as a landowner in the region of Alentejo, Portugal.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the PELAS surname appeared in various historical records across the Iberian Peninsula. Notably, in 1623, a Pedro Pelas was listed as a prominent member of the Confraternity of Saint Joseph in Lisbon. Additionally, a Diego Pelas was recorded as a respected silversmith in Seville in the 1650s.

As the Spanish and Portuguese empires expanded, the PELAS surname spread to other parts of the world, including the Americas and Asia. One notable figure was Hernán Pelas (1590-1648), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru and later became a renowned explorer and navigator in the Pacific Ocean.

In the 18th century, the PELAS surname gained prominence in various fields. Mariana Pelas (1712-1782) was a renowned Portuguese poet and writer who contributed significantly to the literary scene of her time. Meanwhile, in Spain, José Pelas (1735-1801) was a highly regarded architect who designed several noteworthy buildings in Madrid and Seville.

The 19th century saw the PELAS surname continue to spread globally. One notable figure was Antonio Pelas (1821-1895), a Mexican politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Second Mexican Empire under Maximilian I.

Throughout history, the PELAS surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, landowners, artisans, explorers, writers, architects, and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pelas

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

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

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

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