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

Peñaloza, 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 Peñaloza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peñaloza in America

Peñaloza is the 5003rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peñaloza surname appeared 7,026 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Peñaloza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peñaloza 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 Peñaloza

The surname Penaloza is of Spanish origin, originating from the region of Castile in central Spain during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the toponym "Peñalosa," referring to a rocky or stony area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appears in historical documents from the Kingdom of Castile. During this time, the name was often spelled as "Peñalosa" or "Peñaloza."

In the 15th century, the Penaloza family was prominent in the region of Extremadura, located in western Spain. Historical records indicate that several members of the family held important positions within the local nobility and served as advisors to the Spanish monarchy.

One notable figure bearing the surname Penaloza was Juan de Penaloza (c. 1470-1528), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. He played a crucial role in the fall of the Aztec Empire and later served as a colonial administrator in New Spain.

Another individual of historical significance was Alonso de Penaloza (c. 1540-1589), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led several expeditions into the interior of South America. He is credited with establishing the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in present-day Bolivia.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Penaloza surname spread throughout the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly in areas like Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia. This was likely due to the migration of individuals bearing the name as part of the colonization efforts.

In the realm of literature, one notable figure was the Mexican poet and writer Carlos Penaloza (1864-1928), known for his contributions to the modernist movement in Latin American literature. His works explored themes of identity, nationalism, and the indigenous cultures of Mexico.

Another prominent individual was the Argentine writer and politician Leopoldo Penaloza (1883-1962), who served as a congressman and actively advocated for workers' rights and social reforms in his country.

Throughout its history, the surname Penaloza has been associated with various prominent individuals across different fields, reflecting its Spanish origins and the spread of the name through the colonial activities of Spain in the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peñaloza

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

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

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

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