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

Salamanca, 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 Salamanca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salamanca in America

Salamanca is the 8386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salamanca surname appeared 3,947 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Salamanca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salamanca 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 Salamanca

The surname Salamanca originates from Spain, specifically from the city of Salamanca in the Castile and León region. The name itself derives from the ancient Celtic word "Salmantica," which translates to "golden town" or "town in the plain."

The city of Salamanca has a rich history dating back to the Iron Age, and it was an important settlement during the Roman era. The name Salamanca appears in various historical records from this period, including Roman manuscripts and inscriptions.

In the Middle Ages, the city of Salamanca gained significant prominence as a center of learning and culture. The University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, was one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe. Several notable scholars and intellectuals with the surname Salamanca were associated with this institution.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Salamanca can be found in the Siete Partidas, a legal code compiled during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile in the 13th century. The document mentions individuals with the surname, indicating its existence during that time.

Over the centuries, the surname Salamanca has been associated with various notable figures. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Rodrigo de Salamanca (1392-1463), a Spanish nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the Reconquista, the campaign to retake the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

Another prominent individual with the surname Salamanca was Juan de Salamanca (1480-1545), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. He is known for his participation in the Battle of Otumba and his subsequent settlement in the town of Salamanca de Naucalpan.

In the field of art and architecture, Diego de Salamanca (1516-1575) was a renowned Spanish architect and sculptor who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Cathedral of Segovia.

The surname Salamanca also gained recognition in the realm of literature. Miguel de Cervantes, the celebrated author of Don Quixote, mentioned the name Salamanca in his works, reflecting its presence in Spanish society during the 16th century.

Additionally, Juan de Salamanca y Mayol (1562-1625) was a Spanish theologian and philosopher who served as the rector of the University of Salamanca and played a significant role in the intellectual discussions of his time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salamanca

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

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

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

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