Cena
An occupational surname derived from the Italian word for supper, referring to an innkeeper or restaurant proprietor.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 891 Americans carry the last name Cena. That puts it at #30,277 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 384,685 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cena surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
891
1 in 384,685
Census rank
#30,277
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
773
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 773 bearers of the surname Cena in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 30277th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 51.6%. The next largest groups are White (34.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cena
The surname CENA originated in Italy, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Italian word "cena," which means "dinner" or "evening meal." The name likely referred to someone who worked in the culinary trade or was associated with the preparation of evening meals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CENA can be found in the historic Florentine tax records of 1427, where a certain Piero di Cena is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use in the early 15th century in the region of Tuscany.
In the 16th century, the CENA name appeared in various Italian documents, such as the Venetian census records of 1548, where a family by the name of Cena is listed as residents of the city.
The name CENA has also been associated with places and locations in Italy. For instance, the village of Cena San Giovanni in the province of Reggio Emilia is believed to have derived its name from the surname.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname CENA. One such person was Giovanni Battista Cena (1590-1673), an Italian painter from the Baroque period who was renowned for his religious works and frescoes in churches across Italy.
Another prominent figure was Giambattista Cena (1661-1720), an Italian mathematician and professor at the University of Milan. He made significant contributions to the field of calculus and authored several treatises on mathematics.
In the 19th century, Antonio Cena (1830-1905) was an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was actively involved in the Risorgimento movement for Italian unification.
The CENA name also gained recognition in the literary world with the Italian writer and journalist Giovanni Cena (1870-1917), who was known for his novels and short stories depicting life in rural Piedmont.
Additionally, Mariano Cena (1920-2004) was a renowned Italian journalist and author, renowned for his investigative reporting and books on social issues and political scandals in Italy during the latter half of the 20th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cena
Among Census respondents with the surname Cena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 51.6%. The next largest groups are White (34.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Cena bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cena surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino51.6%
- White34.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.4%
- Black or African American2.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Cena surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,277 | #30,277 | 0.0% |
| Count | 773 | 773 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.26 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Cena bearers went from 773 to 773 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #30,277 to #30,277.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Cena
FAQ
Cena surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Cena?
The surname Cena holds position #30,277 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 891 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Cena surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 51.6%. The next largest groups are White (34.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (9.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.