Explore the Family Name Altamira

The meaning of Altamira

Spanish: habitational name from any of numerous places called Altamira, most famously the site of prehistoric caves in Cantabria, or from Altamira-San Cristóbal in Biscay, Basque Country. The placename is composed of alto ‘high’ and mira ‘viewpoint, watchtower’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Altamira in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Altamira's popularity has seen a considerable rise from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 57,705 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010 the rank had improved to 50,275, marking an increase of approximately 12.88%. The count of individuals bearing this surname also increased from 330 in 2000 to 416 in 2010, indicating a significant growth rate of 26.06%. The proportion of people with the Altamira surname per 100,000 individuals also experienced an uptick, going from 0.12 to 0.14 over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#57,705#50,27512.88%
Count33041626.06%
Proportion per 100k0.120.1416.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Altamira

In terms of ethnic identity, the Altamira surname is predominantly associated with individuals who identify as Hispanic, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In both 2000 and 2010, the vast majority of those with the Altamira surname identified as Hispanic, although the proportion decreased slightly from 86.06% to 84.62% during that period. Additionally, there was a notable increase in the percentage of individuals with this surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, rising from 7.58% in 2000 to 10.82% in 2010. Conversely, the proportion of people identifying as White decreased from 5.15% to 4.33% over the same timeframe. There were no recorded individuals with this surname identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.

20002010Change
Hispanic86.06%84.62%-1.67%
Asian/Pacific Islander7.58%10.82%42.74%
White5.15%4.33%-15.92%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%