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

Punzalan, 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 Punzalan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Punzalan in America

Punzalan is the 25314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Punzalan surname appeared 978 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 Punzalan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Punzalan 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 Punzalan

The surname Punzalan is of Filipino origin, specifically from the Tagalog language spoken in the Philippines. It is believed to have originated during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, which lasted from the 16th to the 19th century.

Punzalan is thought to be derived from the Tagalog word "punso," meaning "sprout" or "bud," and the Spanish suffix "-lan," which denotes a place or location. This suggests that the name may have referred to a person who lived in an area where a particular plant or crop was abundant.

While the exact origin and meaning of the name are not entirely clear, it is possible that Punzalan was originally a place name or a descriptive surname referring to a person's occupation or residence. During the Spanish colonization, many Filipinos were given surnames based on their location, occupation, or physical characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Punzalan can be found in the Catalogo Alfabético de Apellidos, a Spanish census conducted in the Philippines in the late 19th century. This census documented surnames and their distribution across various provinces and regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Punzalan include:

1. Agustin Punzalan (1884-1960), a Filipino painter and sculptor known for his religious artworks and portraits.
2. Benedicto Punzalan (1916-1993), a Filipino politician who served as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives.
3. Enrique Punzalan (1844-1925), a Filipino writer and educator who played a significant role in the development of Filipino literature.
4. Josefa Punzalan (1888-1968), a Filipino activist and feminist who fought for women's rights and education.
5. Miguel Punzalan (1901-1978), a Filipino composer and musician known for his contributions to Filipino folk music and the promotion of traditional Filipino instruments.

While the surname Punzalan is relatively uncommon outside the Philippines, it has a rich cultural and historical significance within the country, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped Filipino identity over centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Punzalan

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

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

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

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