Presas last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Presas

A Spanish surname derived from the word "presa" meaning dam or reservoir.

Presas, 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 Presas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Presas in America

Presas is the 31790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Presas surname appeared 726 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 Presas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Presas 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 31790 37640 -16.85%
Count 726 556 26.52%
Proportion per 100k 0.25 0.21 17.39%

The history of the last name Presas

The surname Presas is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. Originally, the name was likely derived from the Spanish word "presa," which means "dam" or "pond." It is believed that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a dam or pond, or possibly to someone who worked with water systems or irrigation.

The earliest known records of the Presas surname can be found in medieval Spanish documents, particularly in the regions of Catalonia and Aragon. The name was also present in the historic Kingdom of Valencia, which was part of the Crown of Aragon during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, there are mentions of a prominent family named Presas in the town of Vilafranca del Penedès, located in the Catalonian region. This family was known for their involvement in local governance and land ownership.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Presas surname was Juan Presas, a merchant and landowner from Barcelona, who lived in the late 15th century. His son, Pere Presas, was a notable figure in the city's guilds and trade associations during the early 16th century.

Another significant figure bearing the Presas name was Miquel Presas, a Catalan military leader who fought against the French during the Reapers' War (1640-1659). He played a crucial role in the defense of the city of Barcelona and was celebrated for his bravery and strategic skills.

In the 18th century, a notable individual named Josep Presas gained recognition as a renowned painter and engraver from the town of Olot, in the Catalonian region. His works were highly regarded and can be found in various art collections throughout Spain.

As the Presas surname spread beyond its initial regions of origin, it also appeared in other parts of Spain, such as Andalusia and the Basque Country. Over time, some variations in spelling emerged, including Presas, Presa, and Presas y Puig.

Throughout history, the Presas surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, military figures, merchants, and landowners. While the name's origin is rooted in the Spanish language, it has become a part of the cultural heritage of many regions within Spain and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Presas

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

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 Presas was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 5.79% 42
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 2.34% 17
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.69% 5
Hispanic Origin 90.91% 660

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 Presas has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 5.79% 7.73% -28.70%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 2.34% 3.24% -32.26%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.69% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 90.91% 88.31% 2.90%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Presas last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/presas-surname-popularity/.

"Presas last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/presas-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Presas last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/presas-surname-popularity/.

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