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

Rijos, 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 Rijos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rijos in America

Rijos is the 39281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rijos surname appeared 560 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 Rijos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rijos 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 Rijos

The surname RIJOS originates from Spain, specifically the region of Galicia in the northwest of the country. It dates back to the 11th century and is believed to be derived from the Galician word "rijo," meaning "rigid" or "stern." The name may have been initially used as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone with a strict or unyielding personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RIJOS surname can be found in a medieval document from the year 1142, which mentions a certain "Fernán Rijos," a landowner in the Galician town of Pontevedra. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence in the region by the 12th century.

During the 15th century, the RIJOS name appeared in several historical records related to the Spanish Reconquista, the long-lasting conflict between Christian and Muslim forces on the Iberian Peninsula. In 1492, a soldier named Pedro Rijos was noted for his bravery in the conquest of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain.

Over the centuries, the RIJOS surname spread beyond Galicia to other parts of Spain and eventually to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. In the 16th century, a wealthy merchant named Juan Rijos settled in the city of Cartagena, now part of modern-day Colombia, and established a successful trading business.

One of the most notable historical figures bearing the RIJOS surname was José María Rijos y Arroyo (1775-1839), a Spanish politician and military officer who served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1824 to 1827. He played a significant role in the island's defense during the Venezuelan crisis of 1826-1827.

Another prominent individual was Rafael Rijos Tovar (1850-1911), a Venezuelan poet and journalist known for his contributions to the country's literary scene during the late 19th century. His works reflected the cultural and political movements of his time.

In the 20th century, Emilio Rijos Fernández (1904-1972) was a renowned Cuban musician and composer, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the son cubano musical genre. His compositions, such as "El Manisero" and "Tristezas," became iconic representations of Cuban musical heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rijos

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

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

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

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