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

Roque, 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 Roque surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roque in America

Roque is the 2388th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roque surname appeared 15,203 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Roque.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roque 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 Roque

The surname ROQUE has its origins in Spain, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "roca," which means "rock" or "rocky area," suggesting that the name may have initially been associated with people living in or near rocky or mountainous regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ROQUE can be found in the Catalan region of Spain during the 13th century. It is believed that the name was initially used as a descriptive surname, identifying individuals based on their occupation or place of residence.

In the 14th century, records show the name ROQUE appearing in various parts of Spain, including Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia. During this period, the name was often spelled as "Roch" or "Roca," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Notable individuals bearing the surname ROQUE include Juan Roque, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Another prominent figure was Pedro Roque de Ursúa, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led an expedition into the Amazon region of South America in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the surname ROQUE gained prominence in the arts, with Juan Roque de Alvarado, a Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits. Miguel Roque Florido, a Spanish poet and playwright, also made significant contributions to literature during this period.

As the Spanish Empire expanded its influence throughout the Americas and other parts of the world, the surname ROQUE spread to various regions. In the 18th century, Antonio Roque de Brizuela, a Spanish military officer, served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1760 to 1768.

Over time, the surname ROQUE has been associated with various place names and geographic locations, including Roca Roja (Red Rock) in the Canary Islands and Roque Prieto (Black Rock) in the Azores Islands, reflecting the name's connection to rocky landscapes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roque

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

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

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

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