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

Vieyra, 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 Vieyra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vieyra in America

Vieyra is the 10140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vieyra surname appeared 3,180 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Vieyra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vieyra 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 Vieyra

The surname VIEYRA originated in Portugal during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "videre," meaning "to see" or "to look." The name likely referred to someone who had exceptional eyesight or worked as a watchman or lookout.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VIEYRA surname dates back to the 13th century in a Portuguese census record. The name was initially spelled "Vieira," which was a common variation during that time period. It's also possible that the name is related to the Portuguese word "vieira," meaning a type of scallop shell.

In the 14th century, the name VIEYRA appeared in several historical documents, including land records and legal proceedings in the region of Alentejo, Portugal. There were also references to a nobleman named Afonso Vieyra, who lived in the late 1300s and was known for his military service.

During the Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, several individuals with the VIEYRA surname played significant roles in Portugal's maritime endeavors. One notable figure was Fernão Vieyra, a Portuguese navigator and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his pioneering voyage to India in 1498.

In the 17th century, the VIEYRA surname gained prominence through the influential Jesuit priest and writer, António Vieyra (1608-1697). He was a renowned orator and author, known for his sermons and literary works that addressed social and political issues of his time. António Vieyra's writings had a lasting impact on Portuguese literature and culture.

Another notable individual with the VIEYRA surname was Tomás António Vieyra (1744-1799), a Portuguese architect and engineer who designed several iconic buildings in Lisbon, including the Church of Memória and the Basilica of Estrela.

As the Portuguese empire expanded across the globe, the VIEYRA surname spread to various colonies and settlements, including Brazil, Africa, and parts of Asia. Individuals with this surname contributed to various fields, such as literature, art, and politics, in these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vieyra

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

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

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

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