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

Rodríguez, 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 Rodríguez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rodríguez in America

Rodríguez is the 70208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rodríguez surname appeared 279 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 Rodríguez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rodríguez 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 Rodríguez

The surname RODREGEZ is of Spanish origin, deriving from the region of Galicia in northwestern Spain during the medieval period. It is believed to have evolved from the Latin name "Rodericus" or "Rodrigo," which means "famous power" or "renowned ruler."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RODREGEZ can be found in the Historia Compostellana, a 12th-century manuscript that chronicles the history of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia. This document mentions a certain "Rodericus Velazquiz," who was a nobleman and military leader during the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

The RODREGEZ name gained prominence in the 13th century with the birth of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid Campeador (c. 1043-1099), a celebrated Castilian knight and military leader who played a pivotal role in the Reconquista. His exploits and victories over the Moors were immortalized in the epic poem "El Cantar de Mio Cid," which contributed to the widespread recognition of the RODREGEZ name.

Another notable figure bearing the RODREGEZ surname was Rodrigo de Bastidas (c. 1460-1527), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led expeditions to the Caribbean and the coast of present-day Colombia and Panama in the early 16th century. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to explore the Isthmus of Panama.

In the realm of art and literature, Rodrigo de Cervantes (c. 1510-1569), a Spanish playwright and poet, gained recognition for his contributions to the Spanish Golden Age theatre. He was the older brother of the renowned novelist Miguel de Cervantes, the author of "Don Quixote."

The RODREGEZ name also had a strong presence in the religious sphere, with individuals like Rodrigo Sánchez de Arévalo (c. 1404-1470), a Spanish prelate, diplomat, and historian who served as the Bishop of Palencia and wrote several influential treatises on moral philosophy and history.

While the name RODREGEZ has evolved and diversified over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the rich cultural and historical tapestry of medieval Spain, where it gained prominence and recognition through the exploits of notable figures who helped shape the course of history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rodríguez

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

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

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

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