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

Ureña, 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 Ureña surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ureña in America

Ureña is the 3261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ureña surname appeared 11,066 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Ureña.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ureña 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 Ureña

The surname Urena originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "ureña," which refers to a thorny shrub commonly found in the region. This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a nickname or a reference to someone who lived near or worked with these shrubs.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Urena can be found in the 13th-century manuscript "Libro de la Montería" by Alfonso XI of Castile, which mentions an individual named Rodrigo Urena. This indicates that the surname was already in use and well-established during that time period.

In the late 15th century, Juan de Urena served as a secretary to Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. This connection to the royal court suggests that the Urena family held a certain level of prominence and influence during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs.

During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, several individuals with the surname Urena made significant contributions. One notable example is Pedro de Urena, a conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Francisco de Urena, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led expeditions to present-day Venezuela and Colombia in the mid-16th century. He is credited with establishing several settlements and laying the foundations for future Spanish colonization in those regions.

In the realm of literature, Juan de Urena, born in 1559, was a renowned Spanish poet and playwright during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. His works, including plays and sonnets, were widely celebrated and remain influential to this day.

Throughout history, the surname Urena has been associated with various influential individuals, ranging from conquistadors and explorers to scholars and artists. While its origins may be rooted in a humble reference to a plant, the name has since become a part of the rich tapestry of Spanish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ureña

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

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

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

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