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

Santillana, 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 Santillana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Santillana in America

Santillana is the 22892nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Santillana surname appeared 1,118 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 Santillana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Santillana 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 Santillana

The surname Santillana has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the place name "Santillana del Mar," a historic town located in the Cantabria region of northern Spain. The name Santillana is thought to be a combination of the Latin words "sanctus" (meaning "holy") and "lana" (meaning "wool"), suggesting a connection to the wool trade that was prevalent in the area during that time.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Santillana can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval census document from the 14th century. This document recorded landholdings and feudal obligations in the regions of Castile and León, where several individuals with the surname Santillana were mentioned.

The name gained prominence in the 15th century with Íñigo López de Mendoza, Marquis of Santillana (1398-1458), a renowned Spanish poet, scholar, and nobleman. He was a prominent figure during the Renaissance and played a significant role in the development of Spanish literature. His poetry and literary works contributed to the refinement of the Spanish language and influenced subsequent generations of writers.

Another notable individual with the surname Santillana was Alonso de Santa María (1471-1528), a Spanish theologian and writer. He served as a professor at the University of Salamanca and authored several religious texts, including commentaries on the Bible.

During the 16th century, Andrés de Santillana (born around 1500) was a Spanish colonist and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. He is mentioned in historical accounts of the expeditions and battles against the Aztec Empire.

In the realm of art, Juan de Santillana (1532-1608) was a Spanish Renaissance painter known for his religious works, particularly altarpieces and paintings depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. His works can be found in various churches and museums across Spain.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Santillana continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, clergy members, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those bearing this historic name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Santillana

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

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

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

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