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

Sonora, 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 Sonora surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sonora in America

Sonora is the 36154th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sonora surname appeared 620 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 Sonora.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sonora 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 Sonora

The surname Sonora has its origins in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the region of Sonora, which is located in the northwestern part of Mexico. The name Sonora is derived from the Spanish word "sonora," which means "sonorous" or "resonant."

In the early 16th century, the Spanish conquistadors and explorers ventured into the region of Sonora, which was then inhabited by various indigenous tribes. The name Sonora was likely given to the area due to the perceived resonant quality of the indigenous languages spoken there. As Spanish colonization progressed, the name Sonora became more widely adopted and eventually evolved into a surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sonora can be found in the archives of the Spanish colonial administration in Mexico. In 1567, a document mentions a man named Juan de Sonora, who was a soldier stationed in the region of Sonora. This provides evidence that the surname was already in use by that time.

Throughout the colonial period, the surname Sonora spread beyond the region of Sonora itself. It can be found in various historical records from different parts of Mexico, as well as in other Spanish-speaking regions of the Americas. Some notable individuals bearing the surname Sonora include:

1. Pedro de Sonora (c. 1580 - 1645), a Spanish colonist and landowner in New Spain (present-day Mexico).
2. María de Sonora (c. 1620 - 1690), a renowned herbalist and healer in the city of Puebla, Mexico.
3. Francisco Sonora (1705 - 1778), a Spanish military officer who played a role in the defense of the Spanish colonies against British and French incursions.
4. Juana Sonora (1760 - 1840), a prominent landowner and philanthropist in the region of Sonora, who donated a significant portion of her estate to establish a school for underprivileged children.
5. Ramón Sonora (1825 - 1892), a Mexican politician and diplomat who served as the ambassador to Spain during the reign of Emperor Maximilian I.

While the surname Sonora has its roots in the Spanish colonial era, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. Today, individuals bearing the surname Sonora can be found not only in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries but also in regions with significant Hispanic populations, such as the United States and parts of Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sonora

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

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

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

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