Find out how popular the last name Acuña is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Acuña.

Acuña, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Acuña surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Acuña in America

Acuña is the 2179th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Acuña surname appeared 16,683 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Acuña.

We can also compare 2010 data for Acuña to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Acuña

The surname Acuna originates from Spain and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "acuna," which means "cradle" or "to cradle." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with families or individuals involved in the cradle-making trade or those who worked as midwives or nursemaids.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Acuna name can be found in the Cartulario de Santillana, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century that documents various legal transactions and property records in the region of Cantabria, Spain. This historical document mentions several individuals bearing the Acuna surname, indicating their presence in the region during that time period.

In the 13th century, the Acuna family gained prominence and established themselves as a noble lineage in the Kingdom of León. One notable figure from this era was Juan Alonso de Acuna, who served as a knight and military commander during the reign of King Alfonso X of Castile and León (1252-1284).

During the 15th century, the Acuna name became associated with the town of Acuña, located in the province of León, Spain. It is believed that some members of the Acuna family may have taken on the name of this town as their surname, further solidifying the connection between the name and the region.

In the 16th century, Hernando de Acuña (1515-1580) was a renowned Spanish poet and historian who served as a soldier and diplomat under the reign of King Philip II. His literary works, including the epic poem "La Conquista de Granada," gained him recognition and contributed to the cultural legacy of the Acuna name.

Another notable figure was Cristóbal de Acuña (1597-1675), a Spanish Jesuit missionary and explorer who documented his expeditions along the Amazon River in South America. His account, "Nuevo Descubrimiento del Gran Río de las Amazonas," provided valuable insights into the region's geography and indigenous cultures.

As the Acuna family spread across Spain and its territories, the name also found its way to the Americas during the colonial era. One example is Juan de Acuña y Rodríguez (1661-1731), a Spanish military officer and governor who served in various provinces of New Spain (present-day Mexico).

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Acuna surname throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence and significance within Spanish and Hispanic culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Acuña

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Acuña.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Acuña was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Acuña has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Acuña was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Acuña, please contact us.

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