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

Rangel, 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 Rangel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rangel in America

Rangel is the 578th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rangel surname appeared 57,549 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 20 people would have the surname Rangel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rangel 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 Rangel

The surname Rangel has its origins in Portugal, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "rangel," which refers to a person who lived near a stream or brook. The name is also associated with the Portuguese town of Rangel, located in the district of Viseu.

In the 13th century, the name Rangel appeared in several historical documents, including the "Livro de Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), a medieval Portuguese genealogical work. This manuscript recorded the lineages of noble families, suggesting that the name Rangel was once used by members of the Portuguese nobility.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Rangel was Rui Rangel, a 14th-century Portuguese nobleman and military leader. He played a significant role in the Portuguese conquest of Ceuta in 1415, during the reign of King John I.

Another notable figure was Pero Rangel, a 15th-century Portuguese explorer and writer. He accompanied the explorer Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in 1497-1499 and wrote a detailed account of the journey, known as the "Relação do Piloto Anónimo" (Account of the Anonymous Pilot).

In the 16th century, the name Rangel was well-established in Spain, likely due to the close cultural and linguistic ties between Spain and Portugal. One prominent Spaniard with this surname was Gaspar Rangel Villafañe (1530-1600), a Franciscan friar and missionary who worked in New Spain (present-day Mexico and parts of the United States).

During the 17th century, the name Rangel spread to the Americas, particularly to regions colonized by the Portuguese and Spanish. Diego Rangel de Villafañe (1587-1667), a Spanish captain and explorer, was one of the early settlers of New Mexico.

In the 19th century, José Maria Heredia y Rangel (1803-1839) was a prominent Cuban poet and writer known for his works that celebrated the natural beauty of his homeland. He was born in Santiago de Cuba and spent much of his life in Mexico.

Throughout history, the surname Rangel has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including noblemen, explorers, missionaries, writers, and poets. While the name originated in Portugal, it has since spread to many parts of the world, particularly to regions with historical connections to the Portuguese and Spanish empires.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rangel

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

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

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

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