2000
#81,414
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 216
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Arida
A surname of Spanish origin meaning "dry place" or "arid area".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 295 Americans carry the last name Arida. That puts it at #79,808 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,161,879 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Arida surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
295
1 in 1,161,879
Census rank
#79,808
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
257
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 257 bearers of the surname Arida in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 79808th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Arida, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (16.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Arida
The surname ARIDA is believed to have originated in Italy, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Italian word "arido," which means "dry" or "arid." This could suggest that the family's ancestors may have lived in an arid or dry region of Italy, or possibly worked in an occupation related to agriculture or land management.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ARIDA surname can be found in a document from the city of Siena, dated 1214. This document mentions a landowner named Guido Arida, who owned several parcels of farmland in the surrounding countryside. It is likely that this individual was one of the first to adopt the surname ARIDA as a way to distinguish himself and his family from others in the area.
Another early reference to the ARIDA name can be found in a legal document from the city of Florence, dated 1312. This document details a dispute over property boundaries between two families, one of which was headed by a man named Lorenzo Arida. This provides further evidence of the surname's presence in central Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries.
In the 15th century, records from the city of Venice mention a merchant named Antonio Arida, who was involved in the trade of spices and textiles with the Middle East and Asia. This suggests that the ARIDA family had achieved a certain level of prosperity and influence by this time, as international trade was a lucrative and prestigious endeavor.
One notable figure in the history of the ARIDA surname was Francesco Arida, a Renaissance painter born in Rome in 1520. Francesco was known for his religious works and frescoes, many of which can still be seen in churches throughout Italy. He is considered one of the most skilled artists of the Roman Mannerist style.
In the 17th century, the ARIDA surname appears in records from the city of Naples, where a family of that name was involved in the production of fine ceramics and pottery. One of the most renowned potters was Domenico Arida (1635-1702), whose works were prized for their intricate designs and vibrant glazes.
Another significant figure was Carlo Arida (1789-1862), a military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a general in the Kingdom of Italy. He was awarded several honors for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Throughout its history, the ARIDA surname has been associated with various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Veneto, Lazio, Campania, and beyond. While it may have originated as a descriptive name related to geography or occupation, it has since become a proud legacy carried by generations of Italians across the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Arida
Among Census respondents with the surname Arida, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (16.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Arida bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Arida surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.1% · 193
- Hispanic or Latino16.0% · 41
- Two or more races4.3% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.9% · 10
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Arida
Arida appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#80,131
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 237
+21 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 1,283 places
2020
#79,808
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 257
+20 bearers (+8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 323 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #81,414 | 216 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #80,131 | 237 | 0.08 | +21 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 1,283 places |
| 2020 | #79,808 | 257 | 0.09 | +20 bearers (+8.4%) | Up 323 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Arida surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #80,131 | #79,808 | 0.4% |
| Count | 237 | 257 | 8.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.09 | 7.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Arida bearers went from 237 to 257 (+8.4% change). The surname moved up 323 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,131 to #79,808.
FAQ
Arida surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Arida?
Name Census estimates that about 295 living Americans carry the surname Arida. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,161,879 residents.
How common is Arida?
Arida ranks #79,808 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 257 people with the surname Arida. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (295), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Arida.
Has Arida become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Arida went from 237 recorded bearers to 257. That is an increase of 20 (+8.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #80,131 to #79,808.
What does the Census say about the background of Arida?
Among Census respondents with the surname Arida, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (16.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Arida in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.1% (193 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Arida appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.1%), Hispanic (16.0%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Arida (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Arida mean?
A surname of Spanish origin meaning "dry place" or "arid area". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Arida (0.09 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Arida?
You can see how many people have the last name Arida on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.