Explore the Family Name Quesada

The meaning of Quesada

Spanish: habitational name from Quesada, in Jaén province. The placename may be related to Old Spanish requexada ‘corner, tight spot’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Juan, Carlos, Ramon, Raul, Jesus, Luis, Mario, Ruben, Francisco, Pedro.

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

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

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Quesada has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Quesada was ranked as the 4880th most common surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had risen to be the 4509th, a positive change of 7.6%. The number of individuals carrying this surname also increased during this period from 6603 to 7870, indicating a significant growth of 19.19%. Additionally, for every 100,000 people, there were 2.45 with the surname Quesada in 2000. This figure slightly increased to 2.67 per 100,000 by 2010, showcasing a subtle shift of 8.98%.

20002010Change
Rank#4,880#4,5097.6%
Count6,6037,87019.19%
Proportion per 100k2.452.678.98%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Quesada

In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals a predominantly Hispanic connection to the surname Quesada. With a slight increase from 85.81% in 2000 to 86.19% in 2010, it is clear that this surname is largely tied to Hispanic ethnicity. There was also a minor rise in those of Asian/Pacific Islander and Black ethnicity bearing the Quesada surname, with changes of 15.45% and 65.22% respectively. However, these figures remain low in comparison to the Hispanic population. The percentage of individuals of White and American Indian and Alaskan Native descent with this surname saw decreases of 4.07% and 35.82% respectively over the ten-year period. Interestingly, a notable decrease was observed among those identifying as two or more races, falling from 0.64% to 0.39%, a drop of 39.06%.

20002010Change
Hispanic85.81%86.19%0.44%
White10.33%9.91%-4.07%
Asian/Pacific Islander2.33%2.69%15.45%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.67%0.43%-35.82%
Two or More Races0.64%0.39%-39.06%
Black0.23%0.38%65.22%

Quesada ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Quesada is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 44.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (18.0%) and British & Irish (13.5%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Filipino & Austronesian, Chinese, and Eastern European.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Spanish & Portuguese44.0%
Indigenous American18.0%
British & Irish13.5%
Other24.5%
Quesada

Possible origins of the surname Quesada

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Quesada have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Michoacan, Mexico33.10%
Baja California, Mexico33.10%
Veracruz, Mexico33.10%
Tamaulipas, Mexico33.10%
State Of Mexico, Mexico33.10%

What Quesada haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Quesada is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-Z827 and I-Z118, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Infante, Reis, Grimm, Howell, Cabral, Hawkins, Angel, Pimentel, Burgess, West.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Quesada surname are: A2, H, B2d. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

quesadaPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans

Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Quesada have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Quesada

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Quesada" Surname 40.3%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Quesada

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Quesada" Surname 26.4%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Quesada

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Quesada" Surname 20.3%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Quesada

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Quesada" Surname 16.6%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Quesada?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Quesada are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Spanish & Portuguese 56.3%

23andMe Users 57.2%