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

Peñagarcia, 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 Peñagarcia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peñagarcia in America

Peñagarcia is the 87335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peñagarcia surname appeared 213 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 Peñagarcia.

The history of the last name Peñagarcia

The surname PENAGARCIA has its origins in Spain, with the earliest records dating back to the medieval period. It is a compound name, derived from the Spanish words "peña," meaning "rock" or "cliff," and "garcia," which was originally a patronymic surname meaning "son of Garcia."

The name likely originated in the northern regions of Spain, where the rugged terrain and abundance of rocky cliffs made "peña" a common topographical descriptor. It is possible that the surname was initially given to someone who lived near a prominent rock formation or cliff.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PENAGARCIA appears in a 13th-century manuscript from the Kingdom of Castile, where a certain Don Rodrigo Penagarcia is mentioned as a landowner in the province of Burgos. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence in the region by that time.

In the 15th century, a nobleman named Juan Penagarcia was noted for his role in the Reconquista, the long-lasting conflict between Christian kingdoms and the Moors in the Iberian Peninsula. Juan Penagarcia (1422-1498) was a military commander who fought alongside the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, in the final stages of the Reconquista.

Another notable figure with the surname PENAGARCIA was Fray Bartolomé Penagarcia (1576-1649), a Spanish Franciscan friar who traveled to the Americas as a missionary. He spent several years in present-day Mexico and is credited with establishing several missions and converting many indigenous people to Christianity.

In the 18th century, a woman named María Penagarcia (1702-1778) gained recognition for her exceptional skill in embroidery and needlework. She worked in Madrid and was commissioned to create intricate pieces for the Spanish royal court and various noble families.

The PENAGARCIA surname also has a connection to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One example is Pedro Penagarcia (1746-1819), a Spanish-born settler who established a successful cattle ranch in what is now Argentina. His descendants continued to use the surname and contributed to the region's agricultural development.

While the PENAGARCIA surname is most prevalent in Spain and Latin American countries with Spanish heritage, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration over the centuries. Despite its geographical spread, the name's roots can be traced back to the rocky landscapes of medieval Spain and the contributions of notable individuals who carried this distinctive surname throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peñagarcia

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

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

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

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