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Rare Last name

Sena

A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "sena," meaning a sign, standard, or banner.

According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,843 Americans carry the last name Sena. That puts it at #4,669 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.58 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 38,760 residents).

This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sena surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.

Bearers in the US

8.8K

1 in 38,760

Census rank

#4,669

2010 decennial data

Per 100,000

2.6

Frequency rate

Recorded bearers

7.6K

rare in the US

Popularity narrative

The Census Bureau recorded 7,597 bearers of the surname Sena in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.58 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4669th position in the national surname ranking.

Among Census respondents with the surname Sena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 59.8%. The next largest groups are White (33.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%).

Origin

Meaning and origin of Sena

The surname SENA has its origins in Italy, where it can be traced back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "sena," which means "old" or "ancient." This suggests that the name may have originally been used to refer to someone who was elderly or from an old family.

The earliest recorded instances of the SENA surname come from the region of Tuscany in central Italy. In the 13th century, there are references to the SENA family in the town of Siena, one of the most important cities in medieval Tuscany. The name appears in various documents from this period, including tax records and property deeds.

One notable historical figure with the SENA surname was Marco da Siena, a 14th-century painter and sculptor. He was born in Siena around 1320 and is best known for his contributions to the Camposanto Monumentale, a famous cemetery in Pisa adorned with frescoes by several renowned artists of the time.

Another significant individual was Alessandro Sena, a 16th-century physician and philosopher from Naples. He wrote several works on medical topics and was a proponent of the scientific method in his approach to studying the natural world.

In the 17th century, there are records of a SENA family living in the town of Bagnoregio, located in the province of Viterbo, north of Rome. One member of this family, Francesco Sena, was a renowned architect who designed several churches and other buildings in the region.

During the 19th century, the SENA surname gained prominence in the field of literature. Giovacchino Sena, born in Naples in 1811, was a poet and playwright who wrote in both Italian and Neapolitan dialect. His works often explored themes of social injustice and the struggles of the working class.

Another notable figure was Umberto Sena, an Italian philosopher and writer born in Turin in 1891. He was a member of the Futurist movement and contributed to various avant-garde literary journals and publications during the early 20th century.

Demographics

Ancestry and ethnicity for Sena

Among Census respondents with the surname Sena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 59.8%. The next largest groups are White (33.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%).

The bar chart below shows how Sena bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.

Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sena surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.

  • Hispanic or Latino59.8%
  • White33.0%
  • Asian and Pacific Islander3.3%
  • Black or African American2.0%
  • Two or more races1.0%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%

Year on year

2000 vs 2010 Census

How has the Sena surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.

Census year comparison

20002010
Bearer countPer 100,000 residents20002010200020106,8257,5972.52.6
Metric 2000 2010 Change
Rank #4,746 #4,669 1.6%
Count 6,825 7,597 11.3%
Per 100K 2.53 2.58 2.0%

Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Sena bearers went from 6,825 to 7,597 (+11.3% change). The surname moved up 77 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,746 to #4,669.

Notable bearers

Famous people with the surname Sena

FAQ

Sena surname: questions and answers

How common is the last name Sena?

The surname Sena holds position #4,669 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 8,843 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.58 per 100,000 Americans.

What is the ethnic background of the Sena surname?

Among Census respondents with the surname Sena, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 59.8%. The next largest groups are White (33.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.

Where does this surname data come from?

All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.

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