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

Santoya, 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 Santoya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Santoya in America

Santoya is the 40800th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Santoya surname appeared 535 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 Santoya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Santoya 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 Santoya

The surname Santoya has its origins in Spain, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "santo," meaning "saint," and the suffix "-oya," which is a diminutive form often used in Spanish place names.

One of the earliest known references to the Santoya name can be found in the archives of the town of Santoya de la Sierra, a small village located in the province of Soria, in the region of Castile and León. It is likely that the surname originated from this particular location, as it was common practice for people to adopt surnames based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 17th century, several Santoya families migrated to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly to Mexico and Peru. One notable individual from this era was Juan de Santoya, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 1500s.

The Santoya name also appears in historical records from the 18th century, such as the baptismal records of the Cathedral of Mexico City. One of the most prominent figures with this surname was Doña Josefa Santoya, a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who lived in Mexico City during the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Santoya surname gained prominence in various parts of Latin America. Mariano Santoya, a Chilean military officer and politician, played a significant role in the Chilean War of Independence against Spanish rule in the 1810s.

Another notable figure was Andrés Santoya, a Peruvian writer and poet who was born in 1832 and is considered one of the pioneers of the Romantic movement in Peruvian literature.

During the 20th century, the Santoya name continued to be present in various fields. José Santoya, a Mexican artist and sculptor, gained recognition for his works in the 1940s and 1950s. Additionally, María Santoya, a Spanish author and journalist, made significant contributions to the literary world with her novels and essays published in the latter half of the 20th century.

While the Santoya surname has its roots in Spain, it has spread across various parts of the world, particularly in Latin America, where it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of their respective regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Santoya

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

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

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

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