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

Quemada, 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 Quemada surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quemada in America

Quemada is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quemada surname appeared 141 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 Quemada.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quemada 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 Quemada

The surname Quemada originates from Spain, and it likely dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish verb "quemar," which means "to burn." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a charcoal burner or in a profession related to burning or fire.

The earliest known instances of the surname Quemada can be found in historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, there are mentions of individuals with this surname in documents from the Kingdom of Castile during the reign of Alfonso X (1252-1284).

One notable person with the surname Quemada was Juan de Quemada, a Spanish theologian and philosopher who lived in the 15th century (c. 1390-1463). He was a renowned scholar and a professor at the University of Salamanca, and he wrote several works on logic and philosophy.

Another historical figure was Alonso de Quemada, a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. He played a role in the fall of the Aztec Empire and the establishment of Spanish rule in the region.

In the realm of literature, there was Jerónimo de Quemada, a Spanish poet and dramatist from the 16th century (c. 1530-1590). He is known for his works in the Spanish Golden Age literary tradition, including plays and poetry.

The surname Quemada can also be found in historical records from other Spanish-speaking regions, such as parts of Latin America, where it was likely introduced by Spanish settlers and colonizers during the colonial era.

One notable example is Pedro de Quemada, a Spanish-born lawyer and politician who lived in the late 18th century (1738-1805). He served as the governor of the province of Cuzco in modern-day Peru during the Spanish colonial rule.

While the surname Quemada has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references to the name can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula and the medieval period in Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quemada

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

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

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

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