Explore the Family Name Santander

The meaning of Santander

Spanish: habitational name from Santander, the regional capital of Cantabria. The placename is derived from Latin Sanctus Emeterius. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Mario, Arturo, Belisario, Jorge, Julio, Manuel, Adolfo, Alicia, Asela, Atanacio, Blanca.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Santander' has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 25,908 in terms of prevalence but jumped to 19,210 in 2010, a change of approximately 25.85 percent. Also, the count of individuals with this surname grew from 891 in 2000 to 1,413 in 2010, an increase of 58.59 percent. The proportion of people with the 'Santander' surname per 100,000 population also increased by 45.45 percent during this same period.

20002010Change
Rank#25,908#19,21025.85%
Count8911,41358.59%
Proportion per 100k0.330.4845.45%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Santander

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that there were shifts in the distribution of the 'Santander' surname among various ethnic identities between 2000 and 2010. The highest proportion of individuals carrying the 'Santander' surname identified as Hispanic, increasing from 82.04 percent to 86.27 percent over the decade. There was an increase in the proportion identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander from 6.85 percent to 7.22 percent. However, those who reported as white decreased from 9.99 percent to 6.09 percent. A significant decrease was observed for individuals identifying as two or more races, going down from 1.12 percent to 0.42 percent. Both Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories remained static at 0 percent.

20002010Change
Hispanic82.04%86.27%5.16%
Asian/Pacific Islander6.85%7.22%5.4%
White9.99%6.09%-39.04%
Two or More Races1.12%0.42%-62.5%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%