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

Portilla, 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 Portilla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Portilla in America

Portilla is the 19229th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Portilla surname appeared 1,411 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 Portilla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Portilla 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 Portilla

The surname Portilla has its origins in Spain, likely emerging during the Middle Ages or earlier. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "portilla," which means a small gate or entrance, particularly in a wall or fortification. This connection suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or was associated with a small gate or entrance to a town or castle.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Portilla can be found in medieval Spanish documents and records. One notable example is Pedro de Portilla, a prominent landowner and nobleman who lived in the 14th century and is mentioned in several historical texts from the region of Castile.

The Portilla name has been present in various regions of Spain throughout history, with concentrations in areas such as Cantabria, Castile, and Andalusia. Several place names in Spain, such as Portilla de Arredondo and Portilla de Busto, may have influenced the formation of the surname or been named after individuals bearing the Portilla name.

During the 16th century, Juan de Portilla, a Spanish conquistador and explorer, played a significant role in the conquest of present-day Mexico. He participated in expeditions led by Hernán Cortés and helped establish Spanish settlements in the region.

Another notable figure was Gaspar de Portilla, a Spanish military officer and governor of Chile in the late 16th century. He served as the governor of the Captaincy General of Chile from 1598 to 1600 and played a pivotal role in the defense of Spanish territories against indigenous resistance.

In the 18th century, Antonio de Portilla y Pacheco, a Spanish nobleman and military officer, distinguished himself during the War of the Spanish Succession. He served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1766 to 1776 and was instrumental in implementing reforms and infrastructure projects in the region.

The surname Portilla has also been present in other Spanish-speaking countries and regions due to migration and colonization. Individuals bearing this name have made contributions in various fields, such as literature, arts, politics, and academia, throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Portilla

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

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

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

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