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

Sotolopez, 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 Sotolopez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sotolopez in America

Sotolopez is the 86314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sotolopez surname appeared 216 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 Sotolopez.

The history of the last name Sotolopez

The surname Sotolopez has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, most likely in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It is a compound surname, formed by the combination of two words - "Soto" and "Lopez."

The word "Soto" is derived from the Latin term "saltus," which means a wooded area or a grove. It was commonly used to refer to a small forest or a thicket. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a topographic feature related to a wooded area.

On the other hand, "Lopez" is a patronymic surname, which means it was derived from the given name "Lope." This name has its roots in the Germanic name "Loup," which means "wolf." The suffix "-ez" was added to indicate the relationship of being a son or descendant of someone named Lope.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sotolopez can be found in the Libro del Repartimiento de Sevilla, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This document recorded the distribution of land and property in Seville after its reconquest by the Christian forces in 1248. The name Sotolopez appears in this record, indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in the region during that time.

In the 16th century, there are references to a Spanish explorer named Hernando de Sotolopez, who accompanied Hernando de Soto on his expeditions to the New World. Sotolopez was one of the captains in de Soto's army and played a role in the exploration of present-day Florida and the southeastern United States.

Another notable individual with the surname Sotolopez was Juan de Sotolopez, a Spanish military officer and diplomat who lived in the 17th century. He served as the governor of the Canary Islands and was involved in various diplomatic missions on behalf of the Spanish Crown.

In the 18th century, there was a Portuguese nobleman named António José de Sotolopez, who held the title of Marquis of Monforte. He was a prominent figure in the courts of King João V and King José I of Portugal.

During the 19th century, a Spanish writer and journalist named Manuel Sotolopez gained recognition for his literary works and contributions to the press. He was born in 1820 and was known for his satirical writings and social commentary.

The surname Sotolopez has evolved over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation occurring in different regions. Some alternative spellings include Sotolópez, Soto-Lopez, and Soto López. The name has also been associated with various place names, such as Sotolopez in the province of Burgos, Spain, and Sotolopez in the municipality of Málaga, Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sotolopez

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

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 Sotolopez 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.

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

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

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