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

Sierra, 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 Sierra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sierra in America

Sierra is the 973rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sierra surname appeared 35,770 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Sierra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sierra 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 Sierra

The surname Sierra is of Spanish origin, derived from the Spanish word "sierra" meaning a jagged mountain range or a sawlike ridge of hills. This name can be traced back to the 12th century in Spain, where it was likely first used as a descriptive term for people living near or working in mountainous regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sierra can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Portugues," a collection of historical documents from Portugal dating back to the 13th century. In this collection, a document from 1258 mentions a person named Pedro Sierra, potentially one of the earliest known instances of this surname.

The name Sierra may have also been derived from specific place names in Spain, such as Sierra Morena or Sierra Nevada, which are mountain ranges located in the southern part of the country. It's possible that individuals who lived near or worked in these areas adopted the surname Sierra as a way to identify their place of origin or occupation.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname Sierra. One prominent example is Juan de la Sierra, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. Another notable figure is Tomás Sierra, a Mexican painter and engraver who lived from 1810 to 1868 and is known for his contributions to the Mexican art scene during the 19th century.

In the literary world, the surname Sierra is associated with Gregorio Sierra, a Spanish playwright and poet born in 1788 who wrote several plays and poems that were popular in his time. Another literary figure is Justo Sierra, a Mexican writer, philosopher, and politician who lived from 1848 to 1912 and played a significant role in the intellectual and political life of Mexico during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Additionally, the surname Sierra has been carried by military leaders, such as Ignacio Sierra, a Mexican general who fought in the Mexican-American War in the mid-19th century, and Sebastián Sierra, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the 18th century and participated in various campaigns in Europe and the Americas.

Over the centuries, the surname Sierra has spread to various parts of the world, particularly to countries with significant Spanish influence or immigration. While its origins can be traced back to Spain, the name has become a part of the cultural heritage of many nations, reflecting the diverse histories and migrations of people across different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sierra

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

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

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

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