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

Arinaga, 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 Arinaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arinaga in America

Arinaga is the 102688th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arinaga surname appeared 175 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 Arinaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arinaga 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 Arinaga

The surname Arinaga originates from the Spanish Canary Islands, specifically the island of Gran Canaria. Its roots can be traced back to the 15th century, when the islands were conquered by the Crown of Castile. The name is believed to be derived from the Guanche language, spoken by the indigenous Berber population of the Canary Islands before the Spanish conquest.

The earliest known recorded use of the surname Arinaga dates back to 1497, when it appeared in a census document from the town of Arucas on Gran Canaria. It is thought to have originated as a place name, possibly referring to a geographical feature or location on the island. The name may be related to the Guanche word "arinaga," which means "rocky area" or "stony ground."

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Arinaga was Diego Arinaga, a prominent landowner and farmer who lived in the late 16th century. His family was among the first Spanish settlers to establish themselves on Gran Canaria after the conquest. Another early bearer of the name was Juan Arinaga, a priest who served in the parish of Arucas in the mid-17th century.

In the 18th century, the Arinaga family played a significant role in the development of the town of Arinaga, which was named after them. This small coastal town on the eastern side of Gran Canaria became an important center for maritime trade and fishing. José Arinaga (1712-1788) was a wealthy merchant and shipowner who helped establish the town's prosperity during this period.

During the 19th century, several members of the Arinaga family made their mark in various fields. Tomás Arinaga (1821-1896) was a respected lawyer and politician who served as a deputy in the Spanish parliament. His contemporary, Francisca Arinaga (1828-1901), was a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights, establishing one of the first schools for girls on Gran Canaria.

As the Canary Islands became more integrated with mainland Spain, the Arinaga surname spread to other parts of the country. Notable bearers of the name in the 20th century include the painter Manuel Arinaga (1909-1987), whose works captured the landscapes and cultural traditions of the Canary Islands, and the writer and journalist María Arinaga (1924-2008), who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Gran Canaria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arinaga

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

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

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

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