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

Teves, 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 Teves surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Teves in America

Teves is the 18337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Teves surname appeared 1,511 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Teves.

We can also compare 2010 data for Teves 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 Teves

The surname Teves has its origins in Portugal, where it first appeared in the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese word "teves," which means "you had" or "you possessed," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who owned or possessed something of significance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Teves surname can be found in the records of the Inquisition in Portugal, where a Pedro Teves was mentioned in connection with an investigation in the year 1535. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by that time.

As the Portuguese empire expanded, the Teves name likely spread to other parts of the world, including the colonies in South America and Asia. For instance, there are records of a Rodrigo Teves who served as a military officer in the Portuguese colony of Goa, India, in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Teves surname made its way to the Philippines, where it became more prominent. One notable figure was Juan Teves, a Spanish-Filipino landowner and politician who lived from 1825 to 1898 and played a significant role in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule.

Another notable individual with the Teves surname was Manuel Teves, a Brazilian journalist and writer who lived from 1892 to 1973. He was known for his work in promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of the state of Pernambuco in Brazil.

In the 20th century, the Teves name gained further recognition with individuals like Efren Teves, a Filipino businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1920 to 2010. He was the founder of the Teves Group of Companies, a conglomerate involved in various industries.

Additionally, there was Rodolfo Teves, a Mexican politician and lawyer who served as the governor of the state of Sinaloa from 1963 to 1969. He played a significant role in the development of infrastructure and education in the state during his tenure.

While the Teves surname originated in Portugal, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the global reach of the Portuguese empire and the migration patterns of individuals bearing this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Teves

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

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

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

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