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

Aravena, 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 Aravena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aravena in America

Aravena is the 67943rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aravena surname appeared 290 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 Aravena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Aravena 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 Aravena

The surname Aravena has its origins in Chile, South America, dating back to the 16th century during the Spanish colonial era. It is believed to be derived from the Mapuche language spoken by the indigenous people of Chile and parts of Argentina. The name is thought to be a combination of the Mapuche words "ara" meaning "to go" and "vena" meaning "path" or "road," indicating a nomadic or traveling people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aravena can be found in the Spanish colonial records from the mid-1600s, where it appears as a surname for individuals of mixed Spanish and Mapuche descent. The name may have also been adopted by Spanish settlers who had close ties or interactions with the Mapuche communities.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Aravena surname can be found in various historical documents and records from the central and southern regions of Chile, particularly in areas with a significant Mapuche population. It is possible that the name may have originated as a place name referring to a specific location or settlement before becoming a surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Aravena throughout history include:

1. Pedro Aravena (1810-1879), a Chilean military officer and politician who played a role in the Chilean Civil War of 1859.
2. Margarita Aravena (1870-1936), a Chilean educator and advocate for women's rights, known for establishing one of the first schools for girls in Valparaíso.
3. Ismael Aravena (1905-1985), a Chilean writer and poet whose works often explored themes of rural life and the indigenous Mapuche culture.
4. Ernesto Aravena (1924-2002), a Chilean architect renowned for his modern and sustainable designs, including the National Museum of Natural History in Santiago.
5. Verónica Aravena (born 1976), a contemporary Chilean artist known for her multimedia installations and collaborations with indigenous communities.

While the Aravena surname has its roots in Chile, it has since spread to other parts of South America and beyond due to migration and intermarriage. However, the name remains most prevalent in Chile, particularly in regions with a strong Mapuche cultural influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aravena

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!