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

Quijada, 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 Quijada surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quijada in America

Quijada is the 6856th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quijada surname appeared 4,908 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Quijada.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quijada 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 Quijada

The surname Quijada originated from Spain during the medieval era. It is derived from the Spanish word "quijada" which translates to "jawbone" in English. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent or distinctive jawline.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Quijada name can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript detailing hunting practices during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile. This text mentions a nobleman named Rodrigo Quijada, who served as a royal huntsman.

In the 16th century, the Quijada family gained prominence through their association with the Spanish monarchy. Luis Quijada y Villegas (1518-1570) was a courtier and close confidant of King Philip II of Spain. He served as the tutor and later the majordomo (head of household) to the future King Philip III.

Another notable figure with the Quijada surname was Diego de Quijada y Riquelme (1562-1633), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Chile. He played a crucial role in the early colonization efforts and founded the city of Villarrica in 1552.

In the realm of literature, the surname Quijada is eternally linked to the iconic novel "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. The protagonist, Alonso Quijano, adopts the name "Don Quixote de la Mancha" after losing his sanity and embarking on his imaginative adventures. The name "Quijada" is believed to have influenced Cervantes' choice of the protagonist's original surname, "Quijano."

Moving forward in history, Francisco Quijada y Cañizares (1788-1856) was a Spanish military officer who fought against the French during the Peninsular War. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and was awarded the prestigious Order of Saint Ferdinand for his bravery and leadership.

Throughout its history, the Quijada surname has maintained its Spanish roots and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, military leaders, and literary figures. While its exact origins may be lost to time, the name continues to evoke a sense of heritage and connection to the rich cultural tapestry of Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quijada

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

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

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

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