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

Samaniego, 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 Samaniego surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Samaniego in America

Samaniego is the 4295th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Samaniego surname appeared 8,281 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 Samaniego.

We can also compare 2010 data for Samaniego 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 Samaniego

The surname Samaniego is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old Spanish word "samaniego," which is believed to be a combination of the words "sama" and "niego," meaning "frost" and "denied" or "rejected," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a region prone to frost or someone who worked in an occupation related to dealing with frost.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Samaniego can be found in medieval Spanish documents from the regions of Castile and Aragon. It is believed that the name may have originated in these areas, particularly in small rural villages or towns where families took on surnames based on their occupations, locations, or distinctive physical traits.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Samaniego was Juan Samaniego, a Spanish poet and fabulist who lived from 1745 to 1801. He is renowned for his collection of fables, which were inspired by the works of Jean de La Fontaine and Aesop, and his contributions to the literary tradition of Spain during the Age of Enlightenment.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Miguel Samaniego, a Spanish military officer who fought in the Spanish-American War. He was born in 1867 and served as a captain in the Spanish Army during the conflict, participating in key battles such as the Battle of Las Guasimas and the Siege of Santiago de Cuba.

In the realm of sports, José Samaniego was a Spanish professional footballer who played as a defender for various clubs, including Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, in the early 20th century. He was born in 1890 and is remembered for his contributions to the development of football in Spain during its formative years.

Another individual of note is María Samaniego, a renowned Spanish artist and sculptor from the 20th century. Born in 1908, she is celebrated for her abstract and figurative works, many of which are displayed in museums and galleries across Spain and internationally.

Lastly, Ángel Samaniego was a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Congress of Deputies, representing the province of Valladolid, in the late 19th century. He was born in 1842 and played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of Spain during his time in office.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Samaniego

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

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

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

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