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

Sepúlveda, 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 Sepúlveda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sepúlveda in America

Sepúlveda is the 1810th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sepúlveda surname appeared 19,851 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Sepúlveda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sepúlveda 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 Sepúlveda

The surname Sepulveda has its roots in the Spanish language and originated in Spain, primarily in the region of Castile. It is derived from the Latin term "sepulcrum," which means "tomb" or "sepulcher." The name likely originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a tomb or burial site.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Sepulveda can be traced back to the 12th century in various Spanish archives and documents. One notable mention is in the "Fuero de Sepulveda," a legal charter granted to the town of Sepulveda in the province of Segovia by King Alfonso VII of León and Castile in 1156.

The town of Sepulveda itself is believed to have been named after the Latin term "sepulcrum," possibly due to the presence of ancient tombs or burial sites in the area. The name was initially spelled as "Sepulvega" or "Sepulveia" in some early records before evolving into its modern form.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the surname Sepulveda. One of the earliest recorded was Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda (1490-1573), a Spanish Renaissance scholar, philosopher, and theologian who was involved in debates concerning the treatment of Native Americans during the Spanish colonization of the Americas.

Another prominent figure was Juan José de Sepúlveda (1735-1820), a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Spanish East Florida from 1784 to 1789.

In the literary realm, Lorenzo de Sepulveda (1496-1580) was a Spanish humanist and grammarian who produced notable works on Latin grammar and rhetoric.

Moving to more recent times, Ricardo Sepulveda (1935-2020) was a Mexican actor and comedian known for his roles in various films and television shows.

Lastly, José Sepulveda (born 1972) is a Chilean football coach and former professional player who has managed several clubs in Chile and Mexico.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Sepulveda throughout history, reflecting its Spanish origins and widespread presence across various fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sepúlveda

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

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

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

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