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

Valquez, 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 Valquez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valquez in America

Valquez is the 111426th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valquez surname appeared 158 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 Valquez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valquez 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 Valquez

The surname VALQUEZ has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It is thought to have emerged around the 12th century during the Christian Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule.

The name VALQUEZ is believed to be derived from the Old Spanish word "val," meaning valley or vale, and the suffix "-ez," which denotes a patronymic or familial lineage. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname referring to individuals or families who lived in or near a particular valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VALQUEZ can be found in the Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla, a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and property in the city of Seville after its reconquest from the Moors in 1248. This document mentions individuals with the surname VALQUEZ, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name VALQUEZ was Martín VALQUEZ, a Spanish soldier and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. He was born around 1475 and participated in the expedition that led to the fall of the Aztec Empire.

Another prominent individual with the surname VALQUEZ was Jerónimo VALQUEZ, a 16th-century Spanish poet and playwright. He was born in Seville in 1510 and is known for his works that reflected the cultural and literary trends of the Spanish Golden Age.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name VALQUEZ also appeared in various records and documents related to the Spanish colonization of the Americas, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were among the early settlers and explorers who ventured to the New World.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named Alonso VALQUEZ was a Spanish military commander who played a significant role in the defense of the Philippines against Dutch and Portuguese incursions. He served as the Governor-General of the Philippines from 1619 to 1624.

Another individual of historical significance was María VALQUEZ, a 17th-century Spanish mystic and religious writer. She was born in Andalusia in 1635 and is known for her spiritual writings and her involvement in the Carmelite religious order.

As the centuries progressed, individuals with the surname VALQUEZ continued to leave their mark in various fields, including the arts, literature, and military endeavors, further contributing to the rich history and legacy of this Iberian surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valquez

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

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

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

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