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

Arena, 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 Arena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arena in America

Arena is the 5209th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arena surname appeared 6,706 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Arena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arena 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 Arena

The surname Arena has its origins in Italy, specifically in the regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, between the 11th and 13th centuries. The name is derived from the Latin word "arena," which means "sand" or "sandy area."

One theory suggests that the name Arena was initially given to families living near sandy areas or beaches, perhaps indicating their occupation or geographical location. Another possibility is that the name originated from a place name or topographical feature involving sand or sandy soil.

Historical records indicate that the Arena surname appeared in various documents in Sicily and Calabria as early as the 13th century. One notable early reference is found in the Sicilian tax rolls of 1283, where the name "Arenas" is mentioned.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Arena was Giovanni Arena, a Sicilian nobleman who lived in the late 14th century. Another prominent figure was Antonino Arena, a renowned jurist and legal scholar from Palermo, who lived from 1450 to 1521.

In the 16th century, the Arena family gained prominence in the city of Messina, Sicily. Pietro Arena (1510-1585) was a distinguished mathematician and astronomer from Messina, known for his contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

During the 17th century, the Arena surname spread to other parts of Italy, including Naples and Rome. One notable figure was Gaspare Arena (1607-1668), a Neapolitan painter and engraver who specialized in religious and mythological scenes.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Arena (1713-1784) was a celebrated architect from Sicily who designed several churches and other notable buildings in Palermo and surrounding areas.

As the Arena family expanded and migrated throughout Italy and beyond, they maintained their prominence in various fields, including the arts, sciences, and academia. While the name Arena has its roots in southern Italy, it has since become widely dispersed across the country and around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arena

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

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

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

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