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

Morena, 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 Morena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morena in America

Morena is the 16933rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morena surname appeared 1,680 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Morena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morena 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 Morena

The surname "MORENA" is of Spanish origin, derived from the medieval Spanish word "moreno/a" meaning "dark" or "swarthy". It is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, likely referring to individuals with darker complexions or hair colors.

The earliest known recorded instances of the surname "MORENA" can be traced back to the 13th century in various medieval Spanish documents and records. One notable example is found in the "Fuero de Cuenca" (Charter of Cuenca), a legal document from the year 1235, where the name "Domingo Morena" is mentioned.

In the 14th century, there are references to a nobleman named "Pedro Morena" from the region of Castile, who was a prominent figure during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile (1312-1350). Pedro Morena played a significant role in the military campaigns against the Moorish Kingdom of Granada.

During the 15th century, the surname "MORENA" appears in several historical manuscripts and records from various regions of Spain, including Aragon, Catalonia, and Andalusia. One notable individual was "Juan Morena" (c. 1425-1490), a renowned poet and writer from Seville, known for his works in the Spanish Golden Age literature.

In the 16th century, the name gained more prominence with individuals such as "Diego Morena" (1508-1581), a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico. Another notable figure was "Francisca Morena" (1548-1620), a Spanish nun and mystic revered for her religious writings and teachings.

Throughout the colonial era, the surname "MORENA" spread to Spanish territories in the Americas, where it can be found in various historical records and documents from that period. One example is "Sebastián Morena" (1677-1746), a Spanish-born architect and engineer who worked on numerous projects in New Spain (present-day Mexico).

As the centuries passed, the surname "MORENA" continued to be prevalent in various regions of Spain and its former colonies, with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions carrying this name. Some notable examples include "José Moreno y Moreno" (1828-1884), a Spanish politician and writer, and "Mariano Moreno" (1778-1811), an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and one of the leading figures in the Argentine War of Independence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morena

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

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

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

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