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

Mena, 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 Mena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mena in America

Mena is the 1832nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mena surname appeared 19,522 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 Mena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mena 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 Mena

The surname Mena is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have originated from the Latin word "mina," which translates to "mine" or "mineral deposit," suggesting a connection to mining or mineral-rich regions.

One of the earliest known mentions of the Mena surname can be found in the "Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla," a 14th-century manuscript that documented land ownership and taxation in the Kingdom of Castile. This record indicates that the name was already established in the region during that time.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Mena surname gained prominence in various parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura, and Castile. It is associated with several notable figures from this era, such as Pedro de Mena (1628-1688), a renowned Spanish sculptor known for his exquisite religious works and considered one of the leading artists of the Baroque period in Spain.

Another prominent individual bearing the Mena surname was Juan de Mena (1411-1456), a renowned Spanish poet and author of the epic poem "El Laberinto de Fortuna" (The Labyrinth of Fortune). His work is considered a seminal piece of Spanish literature and played a significant role in the development of the Spanish literary tradition.

In the 18th century, the Mena surname appeared in records related to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. One notable figure was Tomás de Mena y Ramírez (1681-1755), a Spanish military officer and governor of Chile from 1734 to 1737. His tenure was marked by efforts to strengthen the colony's defenses and address conflicts with indigenous populations.

The name Mena is also found in other Spanish-speaking regions, such as Mexico and parts of Central America, likely due to the migration and settlement of Spanish colonists in these areas during the colonial period.

It is worth noting that variations of the Mena surname exist, including Menas, Menez, and Menez, reflecting regional linguistic influences and spelling variations over time. Additionally, the name may have connections to certain place names or geographic features, further reinforcing its ties to specific regions or localities within Spain and its former colonial territories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mena

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

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

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

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