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

Vaga, 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 Vaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vaga in America

Vaga is the 79075th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vaga surname appeared 241 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 Vaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vaga 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 Vaga

The surname VAGA is believed to have originated in northern Spain, specifically in the Basque region, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Basque word "vaga," which means "slow" or "calm." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was perceived as having a relaxed or unhurried demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname VAGA can be found in a manuscript from the 12th century, which mentions a landowner named Juan de Vaga in the town of Vitoria-Gasteiz. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family called Vaga residing in the village of Leza, located in the province of Navarra. It is likely that they were descendants of the earlier Vaga family from Vitoria-Gasteiz.

During the 15th century, the name VAGA began to spread beyond the Basque region, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in other parts of northern Spain, such as Cantabria and Asturias. This coincided with the period of Spanish exploration and colonization, which may have contributed to the further dissemination of the name.

One notable figure from history who bore the surname VAGA was Pedro de Vaga (1499-1567), a Spanish explorer who accompanied the ill-fated Narváez expedition to Florida in 1528. He was one of only four survivors of the expedition and later wrote a detailed account of their harrowing experience, which is now considered an important historical document.

Another prominent individual with the surname VAGA was María de Vaga (1564-1628), a Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Convent of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Madrid. She was known for her spiritual writings and was beatified by the Catholic Church in 1786.

In the 18th century, there are records of a family named VAGA residing in the town of Santoña, located in the province of Cantabria. One member of this family, Juan VAGA (1712-1789), was a successful merchant who played an influential role in the local community.

During the 19th century, the surname VAGA continued to be found in various parts of Spain, as well as in some Spanish colonies in the Americas. One notable figure from this period was José VAGA (1823-1898), a Cuban-born writer and journalist who was a vocal advocate for Cuban independence from Spain.

While the surname VAGA is not as common as some other Spanish surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and can be traced back to its Basque roots in northern Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vaga

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

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

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

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