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

Quaresma, 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 Quaresma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quaresma in America

Quaresma is the 77788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quaresma surname appeared 246 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 Quaresma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quaresma 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 Quaresma

The surname Quaresma has its origins in Portugal, tracing back to the 13th century. It derives from the Portuguese word "Quaresma," which means "Lent" in English. The name is believed to have originated as a nickname or occupational name for someone associated with the observance of Lent or the preparation of Lenten foods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Quaresma appears in a 14th-century document from the Algarve region of southern Portugal. This document mentions a person named Pedro Quaresma, suggesting the name's existence in that area during that time period.

In the 15th century, the Quaresma surname is found in records from the Azores islands, a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of the Portuguese realm by that time.

During the Age of Exploration, when Portuguese navigators and settlers ventured to different parts of the world, the surname Quaresma likely accompanied them on their journeys. It can be found in historical records from various Portuguese colonies and territories, such as Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique.

One notable individual bearing the Quaresma surname was João Baptista Quaresma (1799-1855), a Brazilian military officer and politician who played a role in the Brazilian War of Independence. He served as the Minister of War and Navy in the government of Emperor Pedro I.

Another prominent figure was José Joaquim Quaresma (1843-1919), a Brazilian writer and journalist who is considered one of the pioneers of the realist movement in Brazilian literature. His works, such as "O Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma" (The Sad End of Policarpo Quaresma), explored themes of national identity and the struggle for modernization in Brazil.

In Portugal itself, the Quaresma surname can be found associated with various historical figures, including writers, artists, and religious figures. For example, Manuel Quaresma (1597-1665) was a Portuguese priest and author who wrote several religious works.

Sebastião Quaresma (1619-1698) was a Portuguese painter and architect active in the 17th century, known for his contributions to the Baroque style in Portugal and his work on various churches and religious buildings.

António Quaresma (1492-1547), a Portuguese Dominican friar and missionary, played a significant role in the early evangelization efforts of the Catholic Church in Asia, particularly in India and the Malacca region.

While the Quaresma surname may have evolved over time and taken on regional variations in spelling or pronunciation, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Portugal, where it originated as a name associated with the Christian observance of Lent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quaresma

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

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

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

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