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

Vera, 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 Vera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vera in America

Vera is the 1031st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vera surname appeared 33,674 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Vera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vera 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 Vera

The surname VERA originates from Italy and Spain, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. In Italy, it is believed to have derived from the Latin word "verus," meaning "true" or "genuine." It was initially used as a nickname to describe someone with an honest or truthful character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VERA surname can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of historical documents from the Lombard Kingdom in Italy, dating back to the 8th century. The name appeared as "Verus" in these records, indicating its Latin origins.

In Spain, the surname VERA is associated with the town of Vera, located in the province of Almería, Andalusia. The town's name is derived from the Arabic word "wara'a," meaning "high place" or "elevated land." This connection suggests that the surname VERA in Spain may have originated as a locational name, referring to people from the town of Vera.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname VERA was Pedro de Vera, a Spanish conquistador born in the late 15th century. He participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés and played a significant role in the subjugation of the Aztec Empire.

Another prominent figure was Diego de Vera y Ordóñez de Villaquirán, a Spanish soldier and explorer born in the early 16th century. He served as the governor of the Spanish West Indies and was instrumental in the exploration and colonization of present-day Florida.

In Italy, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the VERA surname was Cesare Vera, a Renaissance painter and architect born in the late 15th century. He was known for his frescoes and worked on notable projects in Milan and Genoa.

During the 16th century, the VERA surname gained prominence in Spain with the birth of Fernán Pérez de Vera, a Spanish military officer and diplomat. He served as the ambassador to England and played a crucial role in the negotiations leading up to the Treaty of London in 1604.

Another notable figure was Antonio de Vera y Zúñiga, a Spanish nobleman and military leader born in the late 16th century. He served as the Viceroy of New Spain (present-day Mexico) from 1585 to 1589 and played a significant role in the governance of the Spanish colonies in the Americas.

Throughout its history, the surname VERA has been associated with various fields, including exploration, military service, diplomacy, and the arts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vera

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

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

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

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