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

Penafort, 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 Penafort surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Penafort in America

Penafort is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Penafort surname appeared 124 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 Penafort.

The history of the last name Penafort

The surname PENAFORT is of Spanish origin, originating in the region of Catalonia during the medieval period. It is derived from the Catalan words "pena" meaning "rock" or "crag" and "fort" meaning "strong" or "fortified". The name likely referred to a person who lived near or was associated with a fortified or rocky location.

The earliest known record of the name PENAFORT can be found in the 13th century, when a Catalan Dominican friar and canonist named Ramon de Penyafort (c. 1185-1275) rose to prominence. He is notable for his role in compiling the Decretals of Gregory IX, a significant collection of canon law texts.

Another prominent figure with the surname PENAFORT was Pedro de Penafort (c. 1265-1345), a Spanish jurist and diplomat who served as a councilor to King James II of Aragon. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Anagni between Aragon and the Papacy in 1295.

In the 16th century, the PENAFORT name appears in records from the Spanish colonial territories in the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Diego de Penafort (c. 1530-1590), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in expeditions to present-day Mexico and the southwestern United States.

The surname PENAFORT can also be traced to the Balearic Islands, off the eastern coast of Spain. In the 18th century, a prominent Mallorcan family bore this name, including Bartolomé Penafort (1714-1793), a renowned painter known for his religious works.

Another historical figure with the surname PENAFORT was José de Penafort (1773-1847), a Spanish military officer and politician who served as Minister of War during the Regency of Maria Cristina of Bourbon in the early 19th century.

While the PENAFORT surname originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly Latin America, due to Spanish colonization and migration. However, the earliest and most historically significant records of this name can be found in the regions of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, reflecting its deep roots in Spanish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Penafort

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

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 Penafort 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.

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

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

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