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

Sancho, 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 Sancho surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sancho in America

Sancho is the 21895th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sancho surname appeared 1,186 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 Sancho.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sancho 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 Sancho

The surname Sancho originates from Spain, with its earliest known usage dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish given name Sancho, which in turn comes from the Late Latin name Sanctius, meaning "holy" or "saintly."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sancho surname can be found in the Becerro de Behetrías, a census-like document compiled in the 14th century during the reign of King Pedro I of Castile. This document lists various individuals bearing the Sancho surname, predominantly in the regions of Castile and León.

The Sancho name gained particular prominence in the 12th century with the figure of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, better known as El Cid Campeador. One of his companions and close allies was a man named Sancho Ramírez, who fought alongside El Cid in numerous battles against the Moors.

In the 15th century, the Sancho surname was associated with the Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernán Sánchez de Badajoz, who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Badajoz was among the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and Dominican Republic).

Another notable figure bearing the Sancho surname was Pedro Sancho, a Spanish painter who lived in the 16th century. Sancho was a prominent artist during the Renaissance period and is known for his religious-themed works, including altarpieces and murals adorning various churches in Spain.

In the realm of literature, the Sancho name gained immortality through the character of Sancho Panza, the loyal squire and companion of Don Quixote in Miguel de Cervantes' iconic novel "Don Quixote de la Mancha," published in the early 17th century. Sancho Panza's pragmatic and down-to-earth nature provided a contrast to Don Quixote's idealistic and chivalrous pursuits.

Throughout the centuries, the Sancho surname has been found in various Spanish-speaking regions, including Latin America, where it was carried by settlers and immigrants from Spain during the colonial era. While its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, the Sancho name has since become a part of the cultural fabric of many Spanish-speaking communities around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sancho

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

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

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

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