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

San, 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 San surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of San in America

San is the 11512th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The San surname appeared 2,732 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 San.

We can also compare 2010 data for San 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 San

The surname "San" has its origins in Spain and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "santo," meaning "saint." The surname likely emerged as a way to identify individuals who lived near a church or monastery dedicated to a particular saint.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Cartulario de San Vicente de Oviedo, a medieval manuscript from the 9th century, where a person named Gomez San is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use during that time period in the northern regions of Spain.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historic records, such as the Fuero de Benavente, a charter granted to the town of Benavente in the Kingdom of León. In this document, a nobleman named Rodrigo San is mentioned, indicating the presence of the surname among the nobility.

The surname is also connected to certain place names in Spain, particularly those derived from the prefix "San" or "Santa," which denotes a connection to a saint. For example, the town of San Sebastián (Saint Sebastian) in the Basque Country is a potential source for the surname San.

Notable individuals with the surname San include:

1. Juan San (1590-1657), a Spanish painter known for his religious works in the Baroque style.
2. Mateo San (1616-1667), a Spanish architect who designed several churches and monasteries in Seville.
3. Pedro San (1779-1853), a Spanish military officer who fought in the Peninsular War against the French.
4. María San (1831-1901), a Spanish educator and advocate for women's education in the 19th century.
5. José San (1887-1961), a Spanish poet and member of the Generation of '27 literary movement.

While the surname San is not as common as some other Spanish surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the religious and cultural traditions of Spain, particularly in the northern regions. Its connection to saints and holy sites has contributed to its enduring presence throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name San

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

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

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

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