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

Penagos, 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 Penagos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Penagos in America

Penagos is the 35993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Penagos surname appeared 623 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 Penagos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Penagos 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 Penagos

The surname Penagos has its roots in Spain, originating during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "peña," which means "rock" or "cliff," combined with the suffix "-gos," indicating a place of origin. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near or came from a rocky or cliffy area.

One theory suggests that the name Penagos originated in the northern region of Spain, specifically in the province of Cantabria or the neighboring regions. This area is known for its rugged, mountainous terrain, making the connection to the word "peña" plausible.

Historical records have uncovered mentions of the name Penagos dating back to the 13th century. In 1285, a document from the Monastery of San Salvador de Oña in Burgos, Spain, referenced a person named "Juan Perez de Penagos." This suggests that the name was already in use during that era.

The earliest known individual with the surname Penagos was Juan Penagos, a Spanish military officer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. He played a significant role in the battles against the Aztecs and was rewarded with land and titles for his services.

Another notable figure with the Penagos surname was Pedro de Penagos, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Francisco Pizarro on his expeditions to Peru in the early 1500s. He was involved in the conquest of the Inca Empire and the founding of several Spanish settlements in the region.

In the realm of literature, Juan Bautista Muñoz Penagos (1620-1691) was a renowned Spanish novelist and playwright during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His works, including "El Hijo Prodigo" and "La Vida es Sueño," explored themes of morality and human nature.

During the 18th century, Miguel de Penagos (1742-1818) was a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Royal Navy. He participated in various naval campaigns and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a Admiral in the Spanish Navy.

In the 20th century, Joaquín Penagos (1909-1985) was a Colombian lawyer and politician who served as the President of Colombia from 1957 to 1958. He played a crucial role in transitioning the country from military rule to civilian governance during a turbulent period in Colombian history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Penagos

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

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

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

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