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

Retamal, 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 Retamal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Retamal in America

Retamal is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Retamal surname appeared 105 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 Retamal.

The history of the last name Retamal

The surname Retamal originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "retama," which refers to a type of broom plant that is commonly found in the Iberian Peninsula. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near or worked with these plants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Retamal surname can be found in the Becerro de Behetrías, a medieval census document from the 14th century. This document mentions a certain Pedro Retamal, who was a landowner in the region of Castile.

In the 15th century, there are records of a prominent family with the Retamal surname in the city of Seville. Juan Retamal, a merchant and landowner born in 1423, is mentioned in several historical documents from that time period.

The Retamal name also appears in various historical manuscripts and records from the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura. One notable individual was Diego Retamal, a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Chile in the late 16th century.

During the colonial era, the Retamal surname spread to the Spanish territories in the Americas. In the 18th century, there are records of a family with this surname in the city of Havana, Cuba. One of their descendants, José Retamal, was a prominent lawyer and politician who played a role in the Cuban independence movement in the 19th century.

Another notable figure with the Retamal surname was Enrique Retamal, a Chilean poet and journalist who lived from 1882 to 1954. He was known for his works that celebrated the landscapes and culture of his homeland.

The Retamal name can also be found in historical records from other Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico and Argentina, although its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Retamal

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

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 Retamal 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!