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

Villagas, 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 Villagas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Villagas in America

Villagas is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Villagas surname appeared 112 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 Villagas.

The history of the last name Villagas

The surname Villagas is of Spanish origin, and its roots can be traced back to the 8th century during the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Spanish words "villa" meaning town or village, and "gas" which is a contraction of the Arabic word "ghas" meaning meadow or pasture.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Villagas can be found in the ancient manuscripts and records from the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura in southern Spain. During the Reconquista, as the Christian kingdoms gradually reclaimed territories from the Moors, many individuals with this surname played a significant role in the military campaigns and resettlement efforts.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Villagas was Don Rodrigo de Villagas, a renowned military commander who fought alongside King Ferdinand III of Castile in the 13th century. His exploits were documented in the chronicles of the time, and he was granted lands in the region of Extremadura for his valiant service.

In the 14th century, the name Villagas appeared in the historical records of the city of Seville, where a prominent family by that name held positions of influence and wealth. One notable member was Doña Isabel de Villagas, who was a benefactor of the local cathedral and played a crucial role in its embellishment during the late medieval period.

As the Spanish Empire expanded its reach across the Americas, the surname Villagas spread to the New World. One of the earliest documented examples was Hernán de Villagas, a conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. Villagas went on to establish a settlement in what is now the state of Veracruz, and his descendants became prominent landowners in the region.

Another prominent figure with the surname Villagas was Diego de Villagas, a renowned explorer and cartographer who mapped vast territories in South America during the 17th century. His detailed maps and accounts of the Amazon basin and the Andes mountains were invaluable contributions to the geographic knowledge of the time.

Throughout the centuries, the Villagas surname has been associated with notable individuals in various fields, including politics, literature, and the arts. For instance, José María Villagas was a celebrated Spanish poet and playwright of the 19th century, known for his romantic works that celebrated the cultural heritage of Andalusia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Villagas

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

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 Villagas 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.

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

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

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