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

Trejo, 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 Trejo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Trejo in America

Trejo is the 843rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Trejo surname appeared 41,021 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 14 people would have the surname Trejo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Trejo 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 Trejo

The surname Trejo is of Spanish origin, deriving from the word "trejo," which means "place where three paths meet" or "crossroads." This name originated in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Trejo can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript documenting hunting expeditions during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile. The text mentions a huntsman named Fernán Trejo, who accompanied the king on these excursions.

The Trejo name is closely tied to the town of Trejo, located in the province of Guadalajara, Spain. This town likely derived its name from its strategic location at a crossroads, which may have played a role in the development of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Trejo include Alonso Trejo y Cabrera (1597-1674), a Spanish Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Cartagena and later the Bishop of Córdoba. Another prominent figure was Juan de Trejo y Sanabria (1598-1670), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led expeditions in present-day Mexico and California.

In the 19th century, Manuel Trejo (1835-1916) was a Mexican politician and military leader who fought in the Mexican-American War and the Reform War. He later served as governor of the state of Oaxaca.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Trejo is the American actor Danny Trejo (born 1944), known for his roles in films such as Machete, Desperado, and Heat. Although he was born in Los Angeles, his family roots trace back to Mexico.

Additionally, José Trejo (1842-1916) was a Mexican revolutionary who played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution, fighting alongside Emiliano Zapata and serving as a general in the revolutionary forces.

While the surname Trejo has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly Latin American countries with strong Spanish colonial influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Trejo

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

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

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

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