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

Raquel, 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 Raquel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raquel in America

Raquel is the 47966th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raquel surname appeared 441 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 Raquel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raquel 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 Raquel

The surname Raquel originates from Spain and has its roots in the Hebrew name Rachel, which means "ewe" or "female sheep." The name was likely brought to Spain during the Moorish occupation that lasted from the 8th to the 15th centuries, when Arabic and Hebrew influences were prevalent in the region.

In Spain, the name Raquel was initially used as a given name for Jewish women before eventually becoming a surname. It is believed that the earliest recorded instances of the surname Raquel date back to the 13th century, although specific records are scarce due to the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Raquel can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the Kingdom of Aragon, which mentions a family with the surname Raquel living in the city of Zaragoza. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and use as a surname during that time period.

As the name spread across Spain, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Raqel, Racquel, and Raquel. These variations were influenced by regional dialects and the phonetic adaptations that occurred as the name was passed down through generations.

Notable individuals with the surname Raquel include:

1. Diego Raquel (c. 1510 - 1580), a Spanish mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of navigation techniques.
2. Beatriz Raquel de Guevara (1556 - 1636), a Spanish noblewoman and writer who authored several works on religious and moral themes.
3. Juan Raquel de Alarcón (1628 - 1695), a Spanish playwright and poet known for his satirical works and his contributions to the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
4. María Raquel Zamorano (1780 - 1854), a Spanish painter and one of the few female artists of her time to achieve recognition for her portraits and religious paintings.
5. Cristóbal Raquel y Navarro (1845 - 1913), a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Spanish parliament during the late 19th century.

While the surname Raquel can be found in various Spanish-speaking countries due to migration and the spread of Hispanic culture, its origins can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of Spain, where it emerged as a distinctive surname with a unique historical narrative.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raquel

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

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

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

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