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

Valdivia, 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 Valdivia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valdivia in America

Valdivia is the 2293rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valdivia surname appeared 15,895 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Valdivia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valdivia 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 Valdivia

The surname Valdivia originated in Spain, specifically from the region of Castile and León. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish place name "Valdivia," which translates to "valley of Vida." This place name is thought to have originated from the Latin words "vallis" (valley) and a personal name, possibly "Vida" or a variation thereof.

The earliest recorded instances of the Valdivia surname can be traced back to the 13th century, with mentions found in historical documents from the Kingdom of Castile. One notable early reference is in the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a medieval census-like record from the 14th century.

In the 16th century, Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conquistador born around 1497 in Castuera, Extremadura, played a significant role in the conquest of Chile. He founded several cities, including Santiago, and was appointed as the first Royal Governor of Chile. Tragically, he was killed in a battle with indigenous Mapuche warriors in 1554.

Another notable figure with the Valdivia surname was Pedro de Valdivia y Maldonado, born in 1502 in Castuera, Spain. He was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Francisco Pizarro in the conquest of Peru and later became the first governor of the territory of Tucumán (now part of Argentina).

In the 17th century, Diego de Valdivia y Mendoza, born in 1568 in Baeza, Spain, was a Spanish painter known for his religious works. His paintings can be found in various churches and museums throughout Spain.

The Valdivia surname also has a connection to the city of Valdivia in southern Chile, which was founded in 1552 by Pedro de Valdivia. The city's name was derived from the surname of its founder, reflecting the influence and legacy of this family in the region.

Throughout history, the Valdivia surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including explorers, conquistadors, artists, and military figures, all linked to the rich heritage and history of Spain and its colonial endeavors in the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valdivia

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

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

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

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