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

Urteaga, 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 Urteaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Urteaga in America

Urteaga is the 51512th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Urteaga surname appeared 404 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 Urteaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Urteaga 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 Urteaga

The surname Urteaga originates from the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to be derived from the Basque words "urte" meaning "year" and "aga" meaning "branch" or "tree limb," suggesting a connection to an annual event or seasonal occurrence.

The earliest recorded instances of the Urteaga name can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various municipal records and legal documents within the Basque provinces of Gipuzkoa and Biscay. In some cases, the name was spelled as "Urteagha" or "Urtheaga," reflecting the regional variations in orthography.

One notable historical figure bearing the Urteaga surname was Juan Urteaga, a prominent merchant and ship owner who lived in the coastal town of Bermeo, Biscay, during the late 15th century. Records indicate that he played a significant role in the region's thriving maritime trade and was highly regarded within the local community.

In the 16th century, the Urteaga name can be found in various historical texts and chronicles, including references to Martín Urteaga, a skilled architect and stonemason who contributed to the construction of several churches and public buildings in the Basque Country.

Another noteworthy individual was Catalina Urteaga, a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from the town of Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, who lived in the late 17th century. She was renowned for her generosity and donated significant portions of her wealth to various charitable causes, particularly those aimed at improving the lives of the underprivileged.

During the 18th century, the Urteaga surname gained prominence in the field of academia and literature. One such figure was Ignacio Urteaga, a respected scholar and professor of philosophy at the University of Oñati, who authored several influential works on Basque language and culture.

In the 19th century, Manuel Urteaga, a prominent politician and lawyer from San Sebastián, played a significant role in the Basque nationalist movement, advocating for the preservation of Basque identity and autonomy within the broader Spanish political landscape.

While the Urteaga surname is predominantly associated with the Basque region, over the centuries, it has also spread to other parts of Spain and beyond, carried by individuals and families who migrated or established roots in new locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Urteaga

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

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

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

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