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

Semedo, 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 Semedo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Semedo in America

Semedo is the 41303rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Semedo surname appeared 527 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 Semedo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Semedo 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 Semedo

The surname Semedo originated in Portugal, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Portuguese word "semear," which means "to sow" or "to plant," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a person whose occupation was related to agriculture or farming.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Semedo surname can be found in the records of the Portuguese Inquisition, where a man named Diogo Semedo was mentioned in the late 16th century. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Portugal by that time.

In the 17th century, a Jesuit missionary named Álvaro Semedo (1585-1658) gained recognition for his travels to China and his writings about the country. His work, "The Empire of China," published in 1642, provided valuable insights into Chinese culture and society during that period.

Another notable figure with the Semedo surname was João Semedo (1633-1708), a Portuguese military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Portuguese India from 1697 to 1701. His tenure was marked by efforts to strengthen Portuguese defenses against Dutch and Maratha threats in the region.

In the 18th century, Manuel Semedo (1720-1792) was a prominent Portuguese architect who designed several notable buildings in Lisbon, including the Church of São Luís dos Franceses and the Palace of the Marquis of Pombal.

Jumping forward to the 19th century, José Semedo (1830-1888) was a Brazilian poet and journalist who played a significant role in the Romantic literary movement in Brazil. His works, including "Horas Solitárias" and "Poesias," explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.

While the surname Semedo has its roots in Portugal, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and the Portuguese diaspora. However, its historical origins and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, where it emerged as a surname related to agricultural occupations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Semedo

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

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

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

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