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

Camarena, 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 Camarena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Camarena in America

Camarena is the 3237th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Camarena surname appeared 11,154 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Camarena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Camarena 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 Camarena

The surname Camarena originates from Spain, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to derive from the Spanish word "camara," meaning "chamber" or "room," potentially indicating a connection to a chamber or living quarters within a castle or mansion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Camarena surname can be found in the archives of the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain, dating back to the late 16th century. This archive contains documents related to the Spanish colonization of the Americas, suggesting that individuals bearing the Camarena surname may have been among the earliest Spanish settlers in the New World.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various records from the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the regions of Andalusia and Castile. During this period, the spelling variations "Camarena" and "Cameña" were commonly used.

A notable figure in history with the Camarena surname was Juan de Camarena, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro in the 16th century. Another prominent individual was Pedro Camarena, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish-American War of Independence in the early 19th century.

In the late 19th century, the Camarena surname gained recognition with the birth of Enrique Camarena Salazar (1947-1985), a Mexican-American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent who was abducted, tortured, and murdered by Mexican drug traffickers. His death sparked outrage and led to increased cooperation between the United States and Mexico in the fight against drug cartels.

Other notable individuals with the Camarena surname include:

1. José Camarena (1903-1983), a Mexican painter and muralist known for his works depicting the lives of indigenous Mexicans.
2. Dionisio Camarena (1884-1973), a Mexican composer and musician who contributed significantly to the development of mariachi music.
3. Margarita Camarena (1901-1988), a Spanish actress and dancer who gained prominence in the early 20th century for her performances in Spanish theater and film.
4. Valentín Camarena (1804-1882), a Mexican politician and military leader who served as the Governor of Zacatecas in the mid-19th century.
5. María Camarena (1946-present), a Spanish author and journalist known for her works on feminism and social issues.

While the Camarena surname has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in Latin American countries with significant Spanish influence, such as Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Camarena

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

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

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

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