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

Romay, 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 Romay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Romay in America

Romay is the 62714th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Romay surname appeared 319 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 Romay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Romay 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 Romay

The surname Romay is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval era. It is thought to have derived from the Spanish word "romero," meaning a pilgrim or a traveler to Rome. This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who had undertaken a pilgrimage to Rome or were involved in some capacity with religious travel.

The earliest known records of the surname Romay can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Spain, such as Galicia, Asturias, and Cantabria. It is possible that the name was initially adopted by those who had returned from pilgrimages or had some connection to the religious sites in Rome.

In the 15th century, the name appears in historical records from the town of Romay, located in the province of Lugo, Galicia. This place name may have influenced the spelling and usage of the surname in that region. It is also worth noting that there are similar-sounding place names in other parts of Spain, such as Romallón and Romanos, which could have contributed to the development of the surname.

One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Romay can be found in the records of Pedro Romay, a Spanish explorer born in the late 15th century. He is known for his expeditions to the Caribbean and his involvement in the colonization efforts of the Spanish Empire in the Americas.

Another notable figure with the surname Romay is Juan José Romay y Chacón (1761-1849), a Cuban physician and scientist who made significant contributions to the field of medicine and public health in Cuba. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern medicine in the country.

In the 19th century, José María Romay (1809-1879), a Spanish playwright and poet, gained recognition for his works, which included dramas, comedies, and lyrical poems. His literary contributions helped shape the cultural landscape of Spain during that era.

María Romay (1879-1969), a Spanish actress and singer, was also a prominent figure in the early 20th century. She was renowned for her performances in various theatrical productions and films, and her talent helped pave the way for future generations of Spanish performers.

Lastly, Fermín Romay (1920-2003), a Spanish painter and sculptor, was highly acclaimed for his abstract and avant-garde artworks. His unique style and contributions to the art world earned him recognition both nationally and internationally.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Romay

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Romay, 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!