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

Arreaga, 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 Arreaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arreaga in America

Arreaga is the 19763rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arreaga surname appeared 1,362 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 Arreaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arreaga 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 Arreaga

The surname Arreaga is of Spanish origin, specifically from the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France. It emerged during the medieval period, likely in the 11th or 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Basque words "arri" meaning "stone" and "aga" meaning "place" or "area," suggesting a connection to a rocky or stony place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arreaga can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Durango in the Basque province of Biscay. This document mentions an individual named Pedro de Arreaga, who was a local landowner and prominent figure in the region.

Another notable historical reference is the mention of a Juan de Arreaga in a 16th-century manuscript detailing the conquest of Mexico by Spanish conquistadors. Juan de Arreaga was a soldier who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the expedition and is believed to have participated in the decisive Battle of Otumba in 1520.

In the late 15th century, a branch of the Arreaga family settled in the town of Arrechavaleta, located in the present-day province of Guipúzcoa in the Basque Country. This town's name is thought to be derived from the Basque words "arri" (stone) and "chavaletea" (stony place), which could be related to the origin of the Arreaga surname.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Arreaga have achieved notable status. One example is Martín Arreaga (1520-1592), a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Philippine Islands and served as a military leader under Miguel López de Legazpi.

Another prominent figure is Juan Arreaga de Gamboa (1564-1635), a Spanish lawyer and writer who served as a magistrate in the Court of Chancery in Valladolid. He is known for his legal writings and commentaries on Spanish law.

In the field of art, José Arreaga (1745-1825) was a renowned Spanish painter from Seville, known for his religious works and portraits commissioned by the Spanish nobility.

Additionally, Ignacio Arreaga (1801-1879) was a Mexican politician and military officer who served as the governor of the state of Jalisco in the mid-19th century.

Lastly, María Arreaga (1908-1994) was a Venezuelan painter and sculptor, celebrated for her contributions to the Venezuelan art scene and her unique style blending traditional and modern elements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arreaga

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

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

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

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