Explore the Family Name Diego
The meaning of Diego
Spanish: from the very common male personal name Diego, which in the Spanish-speaking world is usually taken to be a shortened form of Santiago. However, this may be only a folk etymology. The personal name is found in the Middle Ages in the Latin forms Didacus and Didagus, probably a derivative of Greek didachē ‘doctrine, teaching’. However, in view of the fact that this personal name is unknown outside the Iberian Peninsula, it may actually have a pre-Roman origin. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Francisco, Juan, Fernando, Jose, Miguel, Mario, Maximo, Salvador, Aida, Ana, Domingo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Diego in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Diego' has significantly increased within a decade. In 2000, 'Diego' was ranked 7941 in terms of commonality, whereas it jumped to the position of 5651 by 2010. This leap signifies a growth rate of approximately 28.84%. Moreover, the count of people bearing this surname also surged from 3864 to 6141 between 2000 and 2010, showing an impressive increase of 58.93%. Consequently, the proportion per 100,000 people also saw a rise from 1.43 to 2.08, marking a 45.45% growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,941 | #5,651 | 28.84% |
| Count | 3,864 | 6,141 | 58.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.43 | 2.08 | 45.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Diego
The ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Diego' also underwent some changes during the same period. The data derived from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the highest percentage of individuals with this surname identified as Hispanic, increasing from 72.52% in 2000 to 79.19% in 2010. On the other hand, those identifying as White decreased from 12.29% to 8.50%, and the Asian/Pacific Islander category also dropped from 9.70% to 7.64%. Furthermore, there were slight reductions for those identifying as Black (from 2.67% to 2.46%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.57% to 0.41%). The group identifying as belonging to two or more races also declined from 2.25% to 1.81% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 72.52% | 79.19% | 9.2% |
| White | 12.29% | 8.5% | -30.84% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 9.7% | 7.64% | -21.24% |
| Black | 2.67% | 2.46% | -7.87% |
| Two or More Races | 2.25% | 1.81% | -19.56% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.41% | -28.07% |