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

Soberal, 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 Soberal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Soberal in America

Soberal is the 85049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Soberal surname appeared 220 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 Soberal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Soberal 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 Soberal

The surname Soberal has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Portugal and Spain. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the Middle Ages, possibly derived from a combination of Latin or Iberian words related to geographical features or occupations.

One theory suggests that Soberal may have originated from the Latin word "super," meaning "above" or "superior," combined with the suffix "-al," indicating a place or location. This could imply that the name was initially used to refer to someone residing on higher ground or an elevated area.

Another possibility is that Soberal stems from an ancient Iberian word associated with a particular trade or occupation, such as forestry or farming. The suffix "-al" was commonly used to denote a relationship with a specific activity or profession.

While no definitive historical records pinpoint the earliest use of the surname Soberal, it is mentioned in several 15th and 16th-century documents from the regions of Alentejo and Algarve in southern Portugal. These records often refer to landowners, merchants, or individuals involved in agricultural activities.

One notable individual with the surname Soberal was Fernão Soares Soberal, a Portuguese navigator and explorer who lived during the 15th century. He is credited with participating in some of the early Portuguese voyages of exploration along the West African coast, contributing to the expansion of the Portuguese Empire.

In Spain, the surname Soberal is predominantly found in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura, where it may have evolved from similar-sounding place names or derived from occupational appellations related to local industries or landscapes.

Another individual of note was Juan Soberal, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the 16th century. He participated in various campaigns and battles, including the Eighty Years' War against the Dutch Revolt.

During the 17th century, there are records of a Soberal family residing in the city of Seville, where they were involved in the textile trade and held prominent positions within the local guild system.

In the 18th century, a Portuguese theologian and philosopher named António Soberal gained recognition for his writings and contributions to the intellectual discourse of the time. He was born in Lisbon in 1701 and passed away in 1768.

The surname Soberal has also been associated with the Canary Islands, where it is believed to have been introduced by settlers from the Iberian Peninsula during the Spanish colonization of the archipelago in the 15th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Soberal

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

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

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

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