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

Quintana, 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 Quintana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quintana in America

Quintana is the 923rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quintana surname appeared 37,657 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Quintana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quintana 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 Quintana

The surname Quintana has its origins in Spain, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. Derived from the Latin word "quintana," which referred to a small farmstead or country estate, the name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived on or near such a property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quintana can be found in the Navarre Monastery's cartulary from the 11th century, where a certain Sancho Quintana is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time in the northern regions of Spain.

During the Reconquista period, when Christian kingdoms were gradually reclaiming territory from the Moors, the Quintana name appears to have spread across various parts of the Iberian Peninsula. In the 13th century, records from the Kingdom of Aragon mention individuals with the surname Quintana holding positions of importance.

The Quintana name also has ties to several place names in Spain, such as Quintana del Puente and Quintana de la Serena, which may have influenced the surname's evolution and distribution. Additionally, variations in spelling, such as Quintanna and Quintano, were not uncommon in historical documents.

Notable individuals bearing the Quintana surname include Juan Quintana (1495-1557), a Spanish jurist and author who served as a judge in the Royal Chancery of Valladolid. Another prominent figure was Antonio de Quintana (1660-1733), a Spanish naval officer and cartographer who played a crucial role in the mapping of the Pacific Ocean.

In the literary realm, Manuel José Quintana (1772-1857) was a celebrated Spanish poet, dramatist, and statesman who is regarded as one of the most influential figures of the Spanish Neoclassical movement. His works, such as "Vidas de españoles célebres" (Lives of Celebrated Spaniards), have left a lasting impact on Spanish literature.

Moving into the 20th century, Enrique Quintana (1893-1936) was a renowned Mexican architect known for his contributions to the Neocolonial and Art Deco styles. His most famous works include the Monumental Axis in Mexico City and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.

Lastly, Julio Quintana (1905-1989) was a prominent Venezuelan political figure who served as the President of Venezuela from 1948 to 1950. His administration was marked by efforts to modernize the country's infrastructure and promote economic development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quintana

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

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

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

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