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

Perez-Chavez, 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 Perez-Chavez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perez-Chavez in America

Perez-Chavez is the 77264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perez-Chavez surname appeared 248 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 Perez-Chavez.

The history of the last name Perez-Chavez

The surname PerezChavez has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the 15th century. It is a compound name, with Perez being a patronymic derived from the given name Pedro, and Chavez being a variant spelling of the word "chaves," which means "keys" in Spanish.

The earliest recorded instances of the name PerezChavez can be found in various municipal records and documents from the region of Andalusia, particularly in the city of Seville. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by individuals who held positions as key-keepers or locksmiths, with "Chavez" referring to their occupation.

One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Juan PerezChavez, a merchant born in Seville in 1492. Records indicate that he was involved in the lucrative trade of spices and textiles with the Americas during the early years of Spanish colonization.

In the 16th century, the name PerezChavez appeared in the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Miguel PerezChavez (1520-1587) was a soldier who accompanied Hernán Cortés and played a role in the fall of the Aztec Empire. He later settled in the city of Puebla, where many of his descendants still reside today.

Another notable figure was Catalina PerezChavez (1570-1642), a nun and educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the Spanish colonies of the Americas. She was renowned for her efforts in promoting education and empowerment for women during a time when such opportunities were scarce.

In the 17th century, the PerezChavez family gained prominence in the region of Extremadura, where they owned substantial land holdings and were involved in livestock farming. Pedro PerezChavez (1632-1711) was a respected landowner and cattle rancher whose descendants continued to play a significant role in the local economy and politics of the region.

During the 18th century, the name PerezChavez appeared in various historical records related to the Spanish colonial administration in the Americas. One such individual was Juana PerezChavez (1725-1802), a bureaucrat who served as a royal notary in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, now modern-day Mexico.

As the PerezChavez family spread across different regions of Spain and its colonies, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Peres Chaves, Perez Chavez, and Perez-Chavez, among others. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perez-Chavez

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Perez-Chavez.

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 Perez-Chavez 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.

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 Perez-Chavez was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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