FastNamesCastillo Surname
Spanish and Latin surname meaning "Topographic or habitational surname derived from Spanish castillo (from Latin castellum, 'fortress' or 'castle'), denoting someone dwelling near or employed in a castle or fortified estate.". Ranked 93rd in the United States with 230,420 recorded bearers in the 2010 Census (78.1 per 100,000 Americans).
Meaning and origin of the surname Castillo
Topographic or habitational surname derived from Spanish castillo (from Latin castellum, 'fortress' or 'castle'), denoting someone dwelling near or employed in a castle or fortified estate.
Historically and linguistically, Castillo belongs to the Spanish and Latin family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "ka-STEE-yoh".
United States Census frequency and ranking
In the official 2010 United States Census, Castillo was recorded 230,420 times, ranking as the 93rd most common surname in the nation.
This represents an incidence rate of approximately 78.11 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 1,280 residents.
Race and ethnicity distribution
According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Castilloreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:
| Racial or ethnic group | Share of bearers |
|---|---|
| White | 4.92% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 90.26% |
| Black or African American | 0.72% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 3.04% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.59% |
| Two or more races | 0.46% |
Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.
History of the surname Castillo
Castillo is an ancient Spanish habitational and topographic surname originating from the Spanish noun castillo (derived from Latin castellum, a diminutive of castrum, signifying 'fortified camp', 'citadel', or 'castle'). The surname designated individuals whose residence was situated immediately adjacent to a fortified stronghold, or those who served as castle wardens, garrison troops, or administrative officials within a feudal fortress.
The surname proliferated throughout the historic kingdom of Castile (Castilla, meaning 'land of castles'), named for the extensive network of defensive stone fortresses erected along the Christian-Moorish frontier during the early Reconquista. Early heraldic records document knightly Castillo lineages in Santander, Burgos, and Soria from the twelfth century forward, bearing armorial charges displaying silver and gold triple-towered castles. Spanish expansion in the sixteenth century carried the name across the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
In the United States, Castillo grew rapidly through historical settlements across the American Southwest as well as twentieth-century migration waves from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Central America. In the 2010 United States Census, Castillo ranked 93rd nationwide with 230,420 recorded individuals, showing profound demographic representation across Texas, California, Florida, and Illinois, with over 90 percent of bearers identifying as Hispanic or Latino.
Notable people with the surname Castillo
- Frank Castillo (1969–2013), American Major League Baseball pitcher with 82 career wins
- Kate del Castillo (1972–), Mexican-American actress known for La Reina del Sur and Under the Same Moon
- Otto René Castillo (1934–1967), Guatemalan poet and revolutionary known for Let's Go, Country
- Luis Castillo (1992–), Dominican MLB All-Star pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
Variants and related surnames
Spelling variants
Related surnames
Sources and references
- Alberto y Arturo García Carraffa. Diccionario Heráldico y Genealógico de Apellidos Españoles y Americanos (1952).
- Patrick Hanks. Dictionary of American Family Names (2003), p. vol. 1, p. 302.
- U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census Surnames Data (2016). Reference link.