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

Peña, 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 Peña surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peña in America

Peña is the 227th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peña surname appeared 130,776 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 44 people would have the surname Peña.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peña 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 Peña

The surname Pena is of Spanish origin, with its roots traced back to the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "peña," which means "rock" or "cliff." The name likely originated from a descriptive nickname given to someone who lived near a prominent rock formation or resided in an area known for its rocky terrain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pena surname can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a medieval census document compiled in the 14th century. This document listed individuals with the Pena surname residing in various regions of Castile, suggesting the name's widespread presence in the region during that time.

The Pena surname has also been documented in other historical records, such as the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a 13th-century document that recorded the distribution of land and property in the city of Seville after its reconquest from the Moors. This document mentions several individuals bearing the Pena surname, indicating their presence in the region during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Pena throughout history include Juan de la Pena (1513-1565), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico. Another notable figure is Gaspar de la Pena (1545-1612), a Spanish composer and organist who served at the court of King Philip II.

In the realm of literature, the Pena surname is associated with Juan de la Pena (1565-1624), a Spanish poet and playwright known for his contributions to the Spanish Golden Age of literature. Additionally, Francisco de la Pena (1610-1673) was a renowned Spanish architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Palacio de las Dueñas in Seville.

The Pena surname can also be traced to other regions of Spain, such as Catalonia, where it is sometimes spelled as "Peña." One notable figure from this region is Josep Peña y Casanovas (1877-1955), a Catalan painter and illustrator known for his works depicting scenes from rural Catalan life.

Throughout history, the Pena surname has been associated with various locations and place names, such as Peñaranda de Bracamonte, a municipality in the province of Salamanca, and Peñafiel, a town in the province of Valladolid, both in Spain. These place names likely originated from the Spanish word "peña," further emphasizing the connection between the surname and its geological roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peña

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

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

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

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