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

Samal, 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 Samal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Samal in America

Samal is the 71886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Samal surname appeared 271 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 Samal.

The history of the last name Samal

The surname "Samal" is believed to have originated in the Philippines, where it is a common name. It is thought to be derived from the Visayan word "samal," which means "island" or "islander." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to people who lived on one of the many islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.

In the early days of Spanish colonization in the Philippines, which began in the 16th century, it was common practice for the Spanish to assign surnames to the native population for administrative purposes. The surname "Samal" may have been one of those surnames given to individuals or families living on or near islands.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "Samal" can be found in historical documents and records from the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. One notable example is the 17th-century figure Pedro Samal, a Filipino priest and missionary who played a significant role in the evangelization efforts in the Visayas region.

The name "Samal" is also associated with a specific group of islands in the southern part of the Philippines called the Samal Islands. These islands are located off the coast of the island of Mindanao and are home to the Sama-Bajau people, who are known for their maritime culture and way of life. It is possible that the surname "Samal" originated from these islands or was given to individuals or families who had ties to the Sama-Bajau community.

Throughout history, there have been several noteworthy individuals who bore the surname "Samal." One such person was José Samal (1888-1970), a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Philippine Senate from 1945 to 1951. Another notable figure was Feliciano Samal (1900-1988), a Filipino writer and educator who contributed significantly to the development of Visayan literature.

In the field of arts and culture, Juan Samal (1913-1995) was a renowned Filipino painter and sculptor known for his works depicting rural life and landscapes in the Philippines. Alejandro Samal (1920-2005) was a celebrated Filipino poet and writer whose works explored themes of love, nature, and Filipino identity.

It is worth noting that while the surname "Samal" is predominantly found in the Philippines, it may also be present in other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots and historical significance can be traced back to the Philippine archipelago and its rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Samal

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

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 Samal 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.

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

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

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