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

Tavarez, 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 Tavarez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tavarez in America

Tavarez is the 3503rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tavarez surname appeared 10,201 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Tavarez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tavarez 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 Tavarez

The surname Tavarez originated in Spain and Portugal, derived from the Latin word "taberna" meaning "tavern" or "inn." It first appeared in records during the medieval period, referring to individuals who owned or operated taverns or inns.

The name is believed to have originated in the regions of Galicia, Asturias, and northern Portugal, where the earliest known bearers of the surname lived. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries show variations in spelling, such as Tavernero, Taverneiro, and Tavernier.

One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Libro Becerro, a medieval census document from the 13th century, which lists several individuals with the surname Tavarez in the region of Galicia. The name is also mentioned in the Cantigas de Santa Maria, a collection of religious poems written in the 13th century by King Alfonso X of Castile.

In the 15th century, a prominent individual named Juan Tavarez was a member of the Royal Council of Castile during the reign of King Juan II. Another notable figure was Pedro Tavarez, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493.

During the 16th century, the Tavarez surname spread to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean. One of the earliest recorded instances is Hernando Tavarez, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 1500s.

In Portugal, the surname is also found in historical records, with variations such as Tavarés and Tavares. A notable bearer was João Tavares, a 16th-century Portuguese navigator and explorer who led several expeditions to Brazil and the East Indies.

Other individuals with the Tavarez surname include Juan Tavarez, a Spanish military commander who fought against the Dutch in the 17th century, and Bartolomé Tavarez, a Spanish painter active in the 18th century known for his religious works.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tavarez

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

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

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

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