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

Peñaherrera, 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 Peñaherrera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peñaherrera in America

Peñaherrera is the 58735th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peñaherrera surname appeared 345 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 Peñaherrera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peñaherrera 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 Peñaherrera

The surname Penaherrera is of Spanish origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 15th century in the regions of Castile and Andalusia. The name is believed to be derived from the Spanish words "peña," meaning "rock" or "cliff," and "herrera," which signifies a blacksmith or someone who works with iron.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Penaherrera surname can be found in historical documents from the Kingdom of Castile during the reign of King Juan II, who ruled from 1406 to 1454. These documents mention individuals with the surname Penaherrera, suggesting that the name was already established in that region during that time period.

In the 16th century, the Penaherrera name gained prominence when Diego de Penaherrera (1520-1583) became a renowned Spanish jurist and author. His influential work, "De Matrimonio," published in 1560, explored the complexities of marital law and contributed to the development of canon law.

Another notable figure bearing the Penaherrera surname was Juan de Penaherrera (1565-1632), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Chile and served as the governor of the Chilean city of Concepción from 1610 to 1612. His efforts in establishing Spanish control over the region were documented in various historical accounts from that era.

During the 17th century, the Penaherrera family maintained their influence in Spain, with several members holding positions of nobility and power. One such individual was Rodrigo de Penaherrera y Mendoza (1625-1702), who served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1687 to 1688.

In the 18th century, the Penaherrera surname spread beyond Spain as a result of Spanish colonization and exploration. Francisco de Penaherrera (1738-1815), a Spanish military officer, played a crucial role in the defense of Puerto Rico against British invasions during that time period, earning him recognition and honors from the Spanish Crown.

As the centuries progressed, the Penaherrera surname continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and political figures. One notable example is the Ecuadorian painter and sculptor Oswaldo Guayasamín Penaherrera (1919-1999), whose powerful works depicting indigenous and social themes gained international acclaim.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peñaherrera

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

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

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

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