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

Requena, 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 Requena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Requena in America

Requena is the 17087th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Requena surname appeared 1,661 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 Requena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Requena 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 Requena

The surname Requena has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish place name "Requena," a town located in the province of Valencia, in the Castilla–La Mancha region of eastern Spain. This topographic surname likely referred to someone who was originally from or resided in the town of Requena.

The place name "Requena" itself is believed to have its roots in the Latin word "requies," meaning "rest" or "repose." This suggests that the town may have served as a resting place or stop-over point for travelers or pilgrims in ancient times.

Historical records indicate that the surname Requena was already in use by the 13th century. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla," a census record compiled in 1283 after the reconquest of Seville by King Alfonso X of Castile. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Requena, indicating their presence in the region at that time.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Requena. One prominent figure was Rodrigo de Requena (1553-1616), a Spanish Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Málaga from 1606 until his death. Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Juan de Requena (1632-1693), a Spanish painter and engraver active during the Baroque period, known for his religious works.

In the literary realm, Francisco Requena (1743-1824) was a Spanish writer and historian who authored several works on the history of Spain and the Spanish colonies in the Americas. Additionally, José Requena (1768-1825) was a Spanish military officer and explorer who participated in scientific expeditions to the Amazon basin in the late 18th century.

Moving into the 19th century, Gregorio Requena (1830-1899) was a prominent Venezuelan politician and diplomat who served as President of Venezuela for a brief period in 1892. He played a significant role in the country's political landscape during the latter half of the 19th century.

While the surname Requena has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly due to Spanish colonization and migration. However, its earliest recorded instances and historical significance can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Requena

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

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

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

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