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

Sesma, 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 Sesma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sesma in America

Sesma is the 29626th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sesma surname appeared 795 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 Sesma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sesma 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 Sesma

The surname Sesma originated in the Basque region of Spain and France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Basque word "sese," meaning "willow." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a willow tree or willow grove.

The earliest known recorded instance of the Sesma surname dates back to the 11th century, appearing in the Codex de Roda, a Catalan cartulary. This document mentions a person named "Petro de Sesma" from the village of Sesma in Navarre, Spain.

During the 13th century, the Sesma name appeared in several records from the Kingdom of Navarre, including the Fuero General de Navarra, a legal code compiled in 1238. This indicates that the Sesma family had established themselves as a prominent lineage in the region by this time.

One notable figure bearing the Sesma surname was Pedro de Sesma (c. 1360-1431), a Spanish theologian and philosopher who served as the Bishop of Osma and later as the Archbishop of Seville. He was an influential figure during the Avignon Papacy and is known for his works on moral philosophy and theology.

In the 16th century, the Sesma name spread throughout Spain and the Spanish colonies due to the expansion of the Spanish Empire. Juan de Sesma (c. 1520-1590), a Spanish conquistador, was among the earliest settlers in the Viceroyalty of Peru and played a role in the conquest of the Inca Empire.

Another notable figure was Juan de Sesma y Villarrubia (1601-1686), a Spanish military officer and governor of the Philippines from 1677 to 1679. He is remembered for his efforts to strengthen the defenses of the Spanish East Indies against Dutch and British incursions.

The Sesma surname also found its way to Mexico during the colonial period. One of the earliest recorded instances was Alonso de Sesma (c. 1580-1640), a Spanish soldier and landowner who received a large hacienda in the state of Guanajuato from the Spanish crown.

While the Sesma name has its roots in the Basque region, it has since spread globally due to migration patterns, particularly within the Spanish-speaking world. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era in the Iberian Peninsula, where it was likely associated with the willow tree or a specific location named after the willow.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sesma

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

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

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

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