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

Rioja, 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 Rioja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rioja in America

Rioja is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rioja surname appeared 200 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 Rioja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rioja 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 Rioja

The surname Rioja has its origins in Spain, specifically in the region of La Rioja located in northern Spain. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, likely between the 12th and 14th centuries. The name is derived from the Spanish word "rìo," meaning river, and "oja," which could mean a stream or a small river.

One of the earliest known references to the name Rioja can be found in a document from the Monastery of Santa María la Real de Nájera, dated around 1180. This document mentions a person named "Petrus de Rioia," which is considered one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname.

During the 13th century, the name Rioja appeared in several other historical records, including the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a document that listed the landowners and their properties in the Kingdom of Castile. This document mentions individuals with the surname Rioja owning lands in various villages and towns within the region of La Rioja.

In the 14th century, the name Rioja gained prominence as it was associated with several notable figures. One such figure was Gonzalo Martínez de Rioja, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

Another well-known individual with the surname Rioja was Diego de Rioja (1458-1521), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. He was one of the first Europeans to set foot in the region now known as Veracruz.

In the 16th century, the name Rioja continued to be associated with important figures, such as Juan de Rioja (1524-1597), a Spanish poet and playwright who was a contemporary of Cervantes. His works included plays and religious poetry.

Francisco de Rioja (1583-1659) was a prominent Spanish poet and literary critic during the Spanish Golden Age. He is considered one of the most important lyric poets of his time and was highly influential in the development of Spanish literature.

Pedro de Rioja (1609-1677) was a Spanish painter, known for his religious paintings and portraits. He worked in Madrid and was a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.

Throughout history, the surname Rioja has maintained a strong presence in Spain, particularly in the region of La Rioja and surrounding areas. While the name may have evolved in its spelling or pronunciation over time, its connection to the region and its origins as a place name have remained intact.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rioja

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

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

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

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