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

Breña, 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 Breña surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Breña in America

Breña is the 42858th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Breña surname appeared 505 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 Breña.

We can also compare 2010 data for Breña 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 Breña

The surname BRENA originated in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, specifically in the province of Bergamo. It is believed to have derived from the Old Italian word 'brena,' which referred to a rocky or stony area, suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or owned land in such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BRENA can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in Campania, Italy, dating back to the 11th century. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name BRENA was Bernardo Brena, a prominent merchant and citizen of Milan. He was mentioned in several historical records from that period, including the city's official chronicles.

During the Renaissance, the BRENA family gained prominence in the arts and literature. One notable member was Girolamo Brena (1510-1573), a renowned poet and playwright from Bergamo. His works, which were widely celebrated during his lifetime, provided insights into the cultural and social life of 16th-century Italy.

In the 17th century, the BRENA surname appeared in various European records, indicating that the family had spread beyond its Italian roots. For instance, there are records of a Captain Enrico Brena (1622-1689) who served in the Spanish army during the Thirty Years' War.

Another noteworthy figure was Giacomo Brena (1701-1768), a celebrated architect from Bergamo. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in his hometown, including the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Palazzo Brena, which still stands today as a testament to his architectural genius.

As the centuries passed, the BRENA name continued to be associated with various professions and achievements. In the 19th century, Giuseppe Brena (1824-1901) was a respected linguist and scholar who contributed significantly to the study of ancient languages and literary works.

While the surname BRENA is still found in various parts of Italy and other European countries, its historical roots can be traced back to the rocky landscapes of Lombardy, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for those who lived or worked in such environments.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Breña

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

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

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

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