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

Villatoro, 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 Villatoro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Villatoro in America

Villatoro is the 3394th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Villatoro surname appeared 10,535 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Villatoro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Villatoro 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 Villatoro

The surname Villatoro has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a toponymic surname, derived from a place name, specifically the town of Villatoro in the province of Ávila, Castile and León. The name is a compound of two Spanish words: "villa," meaning a town or village, and "toro," which can refer to either a bull or the Toro River that flows through the region.

Villatoro is a relatively uncommon surname, but it can be found in historical records from Spain and Latin America, particularly in areas with strong Spanish influences. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Pedro de Villatoro, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Guatemala in the 16th century.

During the colonial era, the Villatoro name spread to various parts of the Americas, including Guatemala, where it became associated with prominent families and landowners. One notable figure was Juan José de Villatoro y Delgado (1768-1827), a Guatemalan military officer and politician who served as the interim head of state of the Federal Republic of Central America in 1827.

Another prominent bearer of the Villatoro name was Joaquín Villatoro y Medrano (1832-1897), a Guatemalan lawyer, politician, and writer who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and acted as the interim President of Guatemala for a brief period in 1897.

In the 20th century, the Villatoro surname continued to be associated with notable figures in Latin American literature and arts. One such individual was Francisco Villatoro (1918-1995), a Salvadoran poet and essayist known for his influential works that explored themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.

Another notable bearer of the Villatoro name was Rodrigo Villatoro (1931-2008), a Guatemalan painter and sculptor renowned for his vibrant and expressive works that captured the essence of Central American culture and traditions.

While the Villatoro surname may not be among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in Spain and Latin America, where it has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Villatoro

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

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

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

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