Explore the Family Name Portela
The meaning of Portela
Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of numerous places called Portela, from portela ‘passageway, gateway’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Carlos, Luis, Rafael, Mercedes, Juan, Miguel, Raul, Alberto, Ana, Angel. Portuguese Joao, Joaquim.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Portela in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Portela has shown an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was the 21,716th most common surname, but by 2010 it had moved up to the 20,088th position, reflecting a rank change of 7.5%. During the same decade, the count of individuals with the surname Portela also increased from 1,118 to 1,330, signifying an increase of nearly 19%. Accordingly, the proportion of people named Portela per 100k population also rose by approximately 9.76%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,716 | #20,088 | 7.5% |
| Count | 1,118 | 1,330 | 18.96% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.41 | 0.45 | 9.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Portela
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Portela has also seen some shifts according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The Hispanic ethnicity represented the largest group, growing from 68.43% in 2000 to 71.65% in 2010. The White ethnicity experienced a slight decrease, going from 29.70% in 2000 to 26.39% in 2010. There was a noticeable growth in the Asian/Pacific Islander category, which saw an increase of 66.67% over the decade. However, the proportion of Portelas identifying as two or more races dropped to zero in 2010, after having been at 0.98% in 2000. Lastly, there were no recorded instances of the surname among American Indian and Alaskan Natives, while representation in the Black community emerged for the first time in 2010, registering at 0.83%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 68.43% | 71.65% | 4.71% |
| White | 29.7% | 26.39% | -11.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.9% | 66.67% |
| Black | 0% | 0.83% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.98% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |