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

Peñalosa, 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 Peñalosa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peñalosa in America

Peñalosa is the 29854th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peñalosa surname appeared 787 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 Peñalosa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peñalosa 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 Peñalosa

The surname Penalosa has its origins in Spain, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Spanish words "peña," meaning "rock," and "losa," meaning "flat stone," potentially referring to a person living near or associated with a rocky area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Penalosa dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Libro de la Montería, a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document mentions a certain Juan Penalosa among the participants in a royal hunting expedition.

During the 15th century, the Penalosa family gained prominence in the region of Andalusia, particularly in the city of Seville. Records indicate that a Diego Penalosa served as a prominent military commander during the Reconquista, the campaign to drive out the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Penalosa name was Gaspar de Penalosa (1524-1612), a Spanish explorer and conquistador. He participated in various expeditions to the Americas, including the colonization efforts in present-day New Mexico and Texas.

Another historical figure of note was Juan de Penalosa (1597-1667), a Spanish military leader who served as the governor of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1661 to 1664. His tenure was marked by efforts to strengthen the defenses against foreign incursions and improve relations with indigenous populations.

The Penalosa surname also found its way to the Americas during the colonial era. One prominent individual was Diego de Penalosa Briceño (1624-1687), a Spanish-born explorer and governor of New Mexico from 1661 to 1664. He led several expeditions into the American interior, seeking to establish Spanish control over the region.

As the Penalosa lineage spread across Spain and its colonies, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Peñalosa, Peñalosada, and Peñaloza. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peñalosa

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

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

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

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