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

Araia, 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 Araia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Araia in America

Araia is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Araia surname appeared 154 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Araia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Araia 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 Araia

The surname Araia is believed to have originated in the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, dating back to the 16th century or earlier. It is thought to be derived from the Basque word "araia," meaning "valley" or "meadow," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with people living in a particular valley or meadow area.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Araia surname can be found in Spanish church records from the late 16th century, where individuals with this name were documented in the regions of Navarre and Aragon. It is possible that the name may have been influenced by the place name "Araia" in Alava, a province of the Basque Country.

In the 17th century, there are records of an Araia family from the town of Bilbao, with members such as Juan de Araia (1625-1698), a prominent merchant and shipowner. Another notable figure was Pedro de Araia (1670-1742), a Basque navigator and explorer who sailed with the Spanish Navy and contributed to the mapping of the Pacific Ocean.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Araia surname spread beyond the Basque region as people migrated to other parts of Spain and to the Americas. One significant individual was José Araia (1785-1865), a Spanish military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later served as governor of several provinces in Venezuela.

In the 20th century, Miguel Araia (1901-1989) was a renowned Basque writer and poet who helped preserve and promote the Basque language and culture through his works. Another notable figure was Juana Araia (1920-2005), a Spanish artist and sculptor whose abstract sculptures were exhibited in galleries across Europe.

While the Araia surname may not be as common as some other Spanish or Basque surnames, it has a rich history and cultural significance, with roots that can be traced back to the valleys and meadows of the Basque Country centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Araia

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

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 Araia 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 Araia 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 Araia was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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