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

Rojo, 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 Rojo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rojo in America

Rojo is the 3479th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rojo surname appeared 10,275 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Rojo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rojo 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 Rojo

The surname Rojo is of Spanish origin, derived from the Spanish word "rojo" meaning "red." The name likely originated in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, possibly as a descriptive nickname or reference to a person's distinguishing physical feature, such as red hair or a ruddy complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the Rojo surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, including Castile, Aragon, and Andalusia. It appears in historical documents such as property records, tax rolls, and municipal registries from that era.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Rojo surname was Pedro Rojo, a nobleman and military commander who fought in the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors. He lived in the late 13th century and was instrumental in the capture of the city of Seville in 1248.

In the 15th century, Juan Rojo, a celebrated poet and scholar, was born in Toledo, Spain. He was renowned for his mastery of lyrical poetry and his contributions to the literary Renaissance in Spain.

During the Age of Exploration, the Rojo surname spread beyond the borders of Spain as Spanish explorers, settlers, and conquistadors ventured to the Americas and other parts of the world. One notable figure was Diego Rojo, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, Catalina Rojo, a renowned painter from Seville, Spain, gained recognition for her remarkable religious artwork and portraits. Her masterpieces can be found in several churches and museums across Spain.

Another prominent bearer of the Rojo surname was Antonio Rojo, a renowned Spanish architect and engineer in the 18th century. He was responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of several iconic buildings and infrastructure projects in Madrid and other Spanish cities.

The Rojo surname has been associated with various place names throughout Spain, such as Rojo de Aldeavieja, a municipality in the province of Salamanca, and Rojo de Valderas, a village in the province of León. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the Rojo surname who settled or held influential positions in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rojo

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

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

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

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