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

Valles, 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 Valles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valles in America

Valles is the 2614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valles surname appeared 13,777 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 Valles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valles 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 Valles

The surname Valles has its origins in Spain and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "valle," which means "valley." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in or near a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Valles can be found in the Partidas, a legal code compiled in the 13th century during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile. This document contains references to individuals with the surname Valles, suggesting that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various legal documents and records from the regions of Catalonia and Aragon. For example, a certain Pedro Valles was mentioned in a document from the city of Barcelona in 1347, indicating the presence of the surname in that area.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name Valles became more widespread throughout Spain, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura. Some notable individuals from this period include Juan Valles, a physician and scholar born in Covarrubias in the 16th century, and Rodrigo Valles, a military commander who participated in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Valles also appeared in various historical records from Spanish colonies in the Americas. One example is Diego Valles, a conquistador and explorer who participated in the exploration of present-day Chile and Argentina in the early 1600s.

Another notable figure with the surname Valles was Francisco Valles, a renowned Spanish painter who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His works can be found in various churches and museums in Spain.

As the name Valles spread throughout Spain and its colonies, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Vallas, Valles, and Vallés. Additionally, the name may have been influenced by or derived from various place names, such as the town of Valles in Catalonia or the Valle de Arán region in the Pyrenees mountains.

While the surname Valles is most commonly associated with Spain and its historical territories, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula, where it emerged as a name linked to the geographic features of valleys and likely referred to the place of origin or residence of its earliest bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valles

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

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

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

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