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

Sandoval, 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 Sandoval surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sandoval in America

Sandoval is the 233rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sandoval surname appeared 128,948 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 44 people would have the surname Sandoval.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sandoval 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 Sandoval

The surname Sandoval has its origins in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have originated from the toponym "Sandoval," referring to a valley or hollow area surrounded by sandy or arid terrain.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the Sandoval surname dates back to the 12th century in the region of Castile, Spain. It is recorded in the "Libro de las Behetrías," an ancient manuscript detailing land ownership and privileges granted to noble families in the region.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Sandoval family gained prominence and established themselves as a noble lineage. Notable figures from this period include Fernán García de Sandoval (c. 1260-1325), a renowned military commander who played a crucial role in the conquest of Seville from the Moors, and Gutierre Díaz de Sandoval (c. 1310-1378), a trusted advisor to King Pedro I of Castile.

As the Sandoval family expanded and dispersed throughout Spain and its territories, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, such as Sandoval, Sandoval, and Sandoval. Some branches of the family adopted the name as a place of origin, like the Sandoval de Lemos and the Sandoval de Chaves families.

In the 16th century, during the Spanish colonization of the Americas, several individuals bearing the Sandoval surname made significant contributions. One notable figure was Gonzalo de Sandoval (c. 1497-1528), a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. Another was Álvaro de Sandoval (c. 1520-1585), a Spanish explorer and governor of New Mexico.

In later centuries, the Sandoval surname continued to be widespread throughout Spain, Latin America, and other Spanish-speaking regions. Notable individuals include Jerónimo Sandoval y Rojas (1573-1619), a Spanish poet and playwright, and Mariano Sandoval (1791-1862), a Mexican military officer and politician who served as the acting president of Mexico in 1837.

Other individuals with the Sandoval surname who left their mark on history include Miguel Sandoval (1951-), a Mexican-American actor known for his roles in films such as "Jurassic Park" and "Clear and Present Danger," and Arturo Sandoval (1949-), a renowned Cuban jazz trumpeter and composer.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sandoval

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

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

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

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