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

Paraná, 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 Paraná surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paraná in America

Paraná is the 90495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paraná surname appeared 204 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 Paraná.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paraná 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 Paraná

The surname PARANA originates from the region of Parana in Brazil. The name is believed to have been derived from the indigenous Tupi language, where it means "like the sea" or "resembling the sea". This is likely a reference to the vast Parana River that flows through the region.

The earliest known recorded use of the surname dates back to the 16th century, when Portuguese colonists began settling in the area. It is mentioned in several historical documents from that time, including land records and church registries.

One notable early bearer of the name was João Parana, a wealthy landowner and cattle rancher who lived in the late 1600s. His expansive estate, known as Fazenda Parana, was located along the banks of the Parana River.

In the 18th century, the name appears in the records of the Jesuit missions that were established in the region. Several members of the Parana family are listed as converts to Christianity during this period.

As the population of the Parana region grew, the surname became more widespread. By the 19th century, it was well-established throughout Brazil, particularly in the southern states of Parana, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul.

One notable figure from this era was José Parana (1821-1892), a politician and lawyer who served as a senator for the state of Parana in the Brazilian parliament.

Another prominent individual was Manoel Parana (1845-1912), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in the city of Curitiba, including the historic Parana Theater.

In the 20th century, the surname continued to be associated with various distinguished individuals, such as Maria Parana (1912-1998), a renowned poet and writer who was celebrated for her works celebrating the culture and landscapes of southern Brazil.

Additionally, Pedro Parana (1928-2005) was a respected academic and linguist who specialized in the study of indigenous languages, particularly those spoken in the Parana region.

While the PARANA surname is most common in Brazil, it has also spread to other countries through immigration, particularly those with large Brazilian communities, such as the United States, Portugal, and Argentina.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paraná

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

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

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

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