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

Arriaga, 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 Arriaga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Arriaga in America

Arriaga is the 1865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Arriaga surname appeared 19,236 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Arriaga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Arriaga 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 Arriaga

The surname Arriaga is of Basque origin, hailing from the northern regions of Spain and parts of France. The name's etymology can be traced back to the 11th century and is believed to have derived from the Basque word "arriaga," which translates to "stony place" or "rocky area."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Arriaga surname can be found in the Becerro Galicano de Villas de Castilla, a medieval manuscript from the 14th century that documented the nobility and prominent families of the Kingdom of Castile. This suggests that the Arriaga lineage had established itself as a distinguished family by that time.

In the 15th century, the Arriaga name appeared in various historical documents, including the Codex Calixtinus, a medieval manuscript that recorded the traditions and history of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. This connection implies that members of the Arriaga family may have been involved in or associated with this significant religious and cultural phenomenon.

The surname Arriaga has also been linked to several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Juan de Arriaga (1570-1638), a Spanish military engineer and architect who served under King Philip III of Spain. He was renowned for his fortification designs and played a crucial role in the construction of numerous defensive structures along the Spanish borders.

Another prominent bearer of the Arriaga name was Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga (1806-1826), a Spanish composer and violinist who is considered one of the most important musical prodigies in history. Despite his tragically short life, he composed numerous works, including several symphonies and operas, and his musical talents were celebrated throughout Europe.

In the 19th century, Rodrigo Arriaga (1858-1923) was a Mexican lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Mexico from 1911 to 1913. He played a significant role in shaping Mexico's foreign policy during a tumultuous period of the country's history.

The Arriaga surname has also been associated with various place names in Spain and the Basque Country. For instance, the town of Arriaga in the province of Álava, Spain, likely derived its name from the surname, suggesting the presence of an Arriaga family in that region.

Throughout its long history, the Arriaga surname has maintained a strong connection to its Basque roots and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including military figures, artists, politicians, and diplomats, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of various regions and nations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Arriaga

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arriaga, 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!