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

Punzal, 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 Punzal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Punzal in America

Punzal is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Punzal surname appeared 172 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 Punzal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Punzal 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 Punzal

The surname PUNZAL is believed to have originated in the region of Galicia, in northwestern Spain, during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Latin word "pungere," which means "to prick" or "to sting," suggesting a possible connection to occupations related to sharp instruments or stinging insects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PUNZAL name can be found in the 13th-century manuscript "Codice Calixtino," which documents the lives of pilgrims traveling along the Camino de Santiago. This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived or worked along the famous pilgrimage route.

In the 15th century, the PUNZAL name appeared in the archives of the town of Pontevedra, Galicia, where it was recorded as "Punçal." This variation in spelling indicates the potential influence of regional dialects on the surname's evolution.

One notable individual with the PUNZAL surname was Pedro Punzal, a Spanish military officer who served during the Reconquista, the campaign to reclaim territories from the Moors in the late 15th century. He was born in Ribadavia, Galicia, in 1455 and played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada in 1492.

Another prominent figure was Juana Punzal, a 16th-century Spanish poet and playwright from Seville. Her works, although not widely known today, were celebrated in her time for their lyrical quality and exploration of themes related to love and courtly life.

In the 17th century, the PUNZAL name was associated with the town of Pontecaldelas, located in the province of Pontevedra, Galicia. The town's name is derived from the Latin "Pons Calidum," meaning "hot bridge," and it is possible that the PUNZAL surname may have evolved from this place name.

During the 18th century, Francisco Punzal, a renowned Spanish architect, was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings in Madrid, including the Palacio de Liria and the Iglesia de San Marcos.

In the 19th century, the PUNZAL surname gained recognition through the work of María Punzal, a celebrated Spanish painter and portraitist. Born in Seville in 1822, her works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe and earned her widespread acclaim.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Punzal

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

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

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

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