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

Sanmiguel, 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 Sanmiguel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sanmiguel in America

Sanmiguel is the 6204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sanmiguel surname appeared 5,513 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sanmiguel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sanmiguel 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 Sanmiguel

The surname SANMIGUEL has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish words "San" meaning "Saint" and "Miguel" referring to the Archangel Michael. This combination suggests that the name may have originated from a place named after St. Michael, potentially a town or village with a church or monastery dedicated to the revered archangel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SANMIGUEL can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval Spanish manuscript from the 14th century. This document, which served as a census of sorts, listed individuals and their property holdings, indicating that the name was already in use during that time.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name SANMIGUEL was Pedro Sanmiguel, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Pedro Sanmiguel played a crucial role in the exploration and colonization efforts of the Spanish Crown in the New World.

During the 16th century, the SANMIGUEL name gained prominence with the birth of Juan de Sanmiguel (1522-1589), a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Philippines. He served under the renowned Spanish navigator Miguel López de Legazpi and was instrumental in the establishment of Spanish settlements in the Philippine archipelago.

Another historically significant individual with the SANMIGUEL surname was Tomás de Sanmiguel (1580-1642), a Spanish painter and sculptor who worked during the Golden Age of Spanish art. He is renowned for his religious paintings and sculptures adorning various churches and cathedrals throughout Spain.

In the 18th century, the name SANMIGUEL was associated with José de Sanmiguel (1738-1802), a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Puerto Rico from 1786 to 1789. His tenure was marked by efforts to fortify the island's defenses and promote economic development.

Over the centuries, the SANMIGUEL surname has been carried by numerous individuals from various walks of life, reflecting its deep-rooted Spanish heritage and the widespread influence of Spanish culture and exploration throughout the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sanmiguel

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

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

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

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