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

Pilar, 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 Pilar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pilar in America

Pilar is the 27604th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pilar surname appeared 872 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 Pilar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pilar 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 Pilar

The surname Pilar has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Spanish word "pilar," which means "pillar" or "column." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who lived near or worked with pillars or columns.

In the early 13th century, the name Pilar appeared in Spanish records and manuscripts, often referring to places or landmarks associated with pillars or columns. One notable example is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain, which dates back to the 1st century AD and is believed to be the first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The earliest recorded individual with the surname Pilar is Pedro Pilar, who was mentioned in a document from the city of Seville in 1278. Another early bearer of the name was Juan Pilar, a merchant from Valencia who was mentioned in a trade record from 1312.

Over the centuries, the surname Pilar has been associated with various notable individuals, including:

1. Jaime de Pilar (1615-1678), a Spanish military engineer and architect who designed fortifications in several cities across Spain.
2. María Pilar Martínez Acuña (1667-1732), a Spanish noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable works in Madrid.
3. Francisco Pilar y Ric (1835-1888), a Spanish painter and portraitist who was highly regarded for his depictions of the Spanish aristocracy.
4. José Pilar Blanco (1862-1919), a Spanish journalist and political activist who played a prominent role in the labor movement of the late 19th century.
5. Dolores Pilar Ibárruri (1895-1989), a Spanish communist leader and prominent figure in the Spanish Civil War, known by the nickname "La Pasionaria."

The surname Pilar can also be found in various place names throughout Spain, such as Pilar de la Horadada, a municipality in the province of Alicante, and Pilar de Jaravia, a village in the province of Cáceres.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pilar

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

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

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

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