Explore the Family Name Cuesta
The meaning of Cuesta
Spanish: from cuesta ‘slope, bank’ (from Latin costa ‘rib, side, flank’, also used in a transferred topographic sense), hence a topographic name for someone who lived on a slope or riverbank, less often on the coast, or a habitational name from one of the very numerous places with this word (mainly La Cuesta). Compare Costa 1, De la Cuesta, and Lacuesta. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Luis, Armando, Juan, Roberto, Angel, Carlos, Jorge, Manuel, Rafael, Ernesto, Enrique.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cuesta in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Cuesta" has seen a marked increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Cuesta was ranked 13,787 in terms of surname popularity in the United States, but this improved to 12,339 by 2010 — a positive change of 10.5%. Similarly, the count of individuals with the Cuesta surname also increased from 2,014 in 2000 to 2,520 by 2010, which is a significant growth of 25.12%. The proportion of this surname per 100k of the population also saw an uptick from 0.75 to 0.85 over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,787 | #12,339 | 10.5% |
| Count | 2,014 | 2,520 | 25.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.75 | 0.85 | 13.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cuesta
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals with the Cuesta surname identified as Hispanic, a figure that grew from 79.79% in 2000 to 82.14% in 2010. The second largest ethnic group among the Cuestas was White, although their representation fell from 14.50% in 2000 to 12.42% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw a decrease from 4.12% to 3.61%. Meanwhile, those recognizing themselves as Black or belonging to two or more races saw slight increases, with the former growing from 0.74% to 0.87%, and the latter moving from 0.84% to 0.95%. There were no identified changes among American Indian and Alaskan Native Cuestas during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 79.79% | 82.14% | 2.95% |
| White | 14.5% | 12.42% | -14.34% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.12% | 3.61% | -12.38% |
| Two or More Races | 0.84% | 0.95% | 13.1% |
| Black | 0.74% | 0.87% | 17.57% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |