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

Spina, 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 Spina surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spina in America

Spina is the 7481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spina surname appeared 4,453 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Spina.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spina 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 Spina

The surname SPINA has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "spina," which means "thorn" or "spine." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname or an occupational name for someone who worked with thorns or spines, perhaps in activities like basket weaving or wool carding.

The earliest recorded instances of the SPINA surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. One notable early bearer of this name was Pietro Spina, a renowned jurist and professor of canon law who lived in the 13th century and served as a papal counselor.

In the 14th century, the SPINA surname appeared in historical records such as the Codice Diplomatico della Repubblica di Genova, which documented the affairs of the Republic of Genoa. During this time, the SPINA family was prominent in the city of Pisa, with members holding influential positions in the local government and ecclesiastical institutions.

The name SPINA also has a connection to the town of Spinaceto, located in the province of Rome. This place name, which translates to "thorny place," may have contributed to the surname's origins or been influenced by it.

One notable bearer of the SPINA surname was Bartolomeo Spina, an Italian jurist and diplomat who lived from 1475 to 1546. He served as a papal nuncio and played a crucial role in the negotiations leading to the Peace of Crépy between Francis I of France and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Another prominent figure was Alessandro Spina, an Italian playwright and poet who lived from 1599 to 1668. He is best known for his tragedies and comedies, which were performed in various theaters across Italy during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Spina, an Italian architect and engineer, made significant contributions to the urban development of Naples. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute and the Palazzo Spinelli di Laurino.

During the 19th century, Gaetano Spina, an Italian mathematician and astronomer, gained recognition for his work in celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits. He was born in 1826 and served as the director of the Astronomical Observatory of Palermo.

The SPINA surname has also been associated with various locations in Italy, such as the town of Spinazzola in the province of Bari, and the village of Spina in the province of Perugia. These place names may have influenced the surname or been influenced by it over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spina

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

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

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

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