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

Torrecilla, 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 Torrecilla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Torrecilla in America

Torrecilla is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Torrecilla surname appeared 165 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 Torrecilla.

The history of the last name Torrecilla

The surname Torrecilla is of Spanish origin and can be traced back to the medieval period in Spain. It is derived from the Spanish word "torre," meaning tower, and the diminutive suffix "-cilla," indicating a small tower or watchtower. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a locality that once had a small tower or fortified structure.

In terms of historical references, the name Torrecilla appears in several Spanish archives and documents dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. For instance, there are records mentioning individuals with this surname in the town of Torrecilla de Alcañiz, located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Torrecilla was Pedro de Torrecilla, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. He played a significant role in the conquest and was granted an encomienda (a land grant with rights to native labor) in recognition of his services.

Another notable figure was Fray Juan de Torrecilla, a Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was involved in the evangelization efforts in the Philippines and authored several religious works during his time there.

In the 17th century, there was a prominent Spanish theologian and writer named Martín de Torrecilla (1589-1668), who served as a professor of theology at the University of Alcalá and published several influential works on theology and philosophy.

During the 18th century, José de Torrecilla (1723-1798) was a Spanish military engineer and architect who worked on several fortifications and public works projects in Spain and its colonies.

In the 19th century, Manuel de Torrecilla (1825-1895) was a Spanish novelist and playwright who gained recognition for his works depicting the customs and traditions of his native region of Andalusia.

It is worth noting that the surname Torrecilla has also been found in other Spanish-speaking countries, likely due to migration and the spread of Spanish culture during the colonial era. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references for this surname can be traced back to Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Torrecilla

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

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

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

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