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

Peraza, 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 Peraza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peraza in America

Peraza is the 5811th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peraza surname appeared 5,949 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 Peraza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peraza 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 Peraza

The surname Peraza originated in Spain, specifically in the Basque region. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word "peratza," which means "the place of the pear trees." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or owned land with pear trees.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Peraza dates back to the 13th century in the region of Gipuzkoa, Spain. In the year 1237, a document mentions a person named Lope Perez de Peraza, suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.

During the 14th century, the Peraza family gained prominence in the Canary Islands, where they played a significant role in the conquest and colonization of the archipelago. One notable figure was Hernán Peraza, who served as the first governor of the island of La Palma in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name Peraza appeared in various historical records, including the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. One prominent individual was Pedro de Peraza, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru under Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.

Another notable figure was Juan Peraza, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernando de Soto on his expedition to Florida in the 1540s. Juan Peraza played a crucial role in the exploration of the southeastern United States and is mentioned in numerous accounts of the expedition.

In the 17th century, the Peraza family established itself in Mexico, where they became prominent landowners and ranchers. One influential member was Diego de Peraza, who was born in 1620 and became a wealthy hacendado (landowner) in the region of Jalisco.

Throughout history, the surname Peraza has been associated with various place names, such as Peraza de Ayala and Peraza de Campos, both located in the province of Palencia, Spain. Additionally, variations of the name, such as Peratza and Peraça, have been documented in historical records.

Overall, the surname Peraza has a rich history rooted in the Basque region of Spain, and its bearers have played significant roles in various historical events, including the conquest and exploration of the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peraza

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

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

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

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