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

Quesada, 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 Quesada surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quesada in America

Quesada is the 4509th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quesada surname appeared 7,870 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Quesada.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quesada 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 Quesada

The surname Quesada is of Spanish origin, derived from the word "quesada" which translates to "cheese-maker" or "cheese seller." It likely emerged during the medieval period in Spain, potentially in regions known for their cheese production.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Quesada can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable example is Juan Quesada, a nobleman and military leader who fought in the Reconquista against the Moors in the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the Quesada family gained prominence in the city of Granada, with several members holding influential positions within the local government and nobility. Alonso de Quesada, born in 1472, was a renowned explorer and conquistador who led expeditions into present-day Colombia and Venezuela.

The surname Quesada is also associated with the town of Quesada, located in the province of Jaén, Andalusia. It is believed that some early bearers of the surname may have originated from or had ties to this town. The town's name itself is derived from the Arabic word "qaysadah," meaning "long and narrow."

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Quesada is Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, born in 1509. He was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led the Spanish conquest of the Muisca Confederation, establishing the settlement that would become Bogotá, Colombia.

Other notable individuals with the surname Quesada include:

1. Antonio de Quesada y Acuña (1508-1576), a Spanish military commander and Governor of the Philippines.
2. Vicente Quesada (1817-1878), an Argentine writer, historian, and journalist.
3. Ernesto Quesada (1858-1934), an Argentine intellectual, lawyer, and sociologist.
4. Gonzalo Quesada (born 1974), an Argentine former rugby union player and current coach.

The surname Quesada has also been documented in various historical records and manuscripts throughout Spain, Latin America, and other regions influenced by Spanish colonization and migration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quesada

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

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

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

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