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

Santellán, 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 Santellán surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Santellán in America

Santellán is the 47521st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Santellán surname appeared 446 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 Santellán.

We can also compare 2010 data for Santellán 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 Santellán

The surname Santellan has its origins in Spain, with roots dating back to the medieval era. Its earliest known form was "Santellán," derived from the Spanish words "santo" (saint) and "llano" (plain), suggesting a connection to a location or region with religious significance or a saint's name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Santellan can be found in the 13th-century "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a medieval Spanish hunting treatise compiled during the reign of King Alfonso XI. This document mentions a place called "Santellán" in the province of Palencia, indicating the surname's geographic origins.

In the 15th century, the name Santellan appeared in the "Libro de las Behetrías" (Book of Behetrías), a census-like record of noble landholdings and jurisdictions in the region of Castile. This document listed several individuals bearing the surname Santellan as landowners or vassals, highlighting the name's association with nobility and land ownership during that era.

One notable figure in the history of the Santellan surname was Pedro Santellan, a Spanish military commander who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon in the late 15th century. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold on the Iberian Peninsula, and was rewarded with land grants for his service.

In the 16th century, the name Santellan can be found in various historical records and manuscripts from the Spanish colonies in the Americas. For instance, Hernando Santellan was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru under Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.

Another significant figure was Diego Santellan, a Spanish nobleman and military leader who served as the governor of the province of Chiloé in southern Chile during the late 16th century. He was instrumental in defending the region against indigenous resistance and establishing Spanish control over the area.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Santellan surname continued to appear in various Spanish historical records, including church registers, land deeds, and military documents. Notable individuals from this period include Alonso Santellan, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in expeditions to the Pacific Northwest in the late 17th century, and María Santellan, a prominent landowner and philanthropist in the Andalusia region of Spain in the early 18th century.

Throughout its history, the Santellan surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Santellán, Santellano, and Santillán, reflecting regional linguistic differences and the evolution of the Spanish language over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Santellán

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

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

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

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