2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Valena
A Spanish surname of unclear origin, possibly derived from a place name or an old personal name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Valena. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Valena surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Valena in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Valena, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 53.5%. The next largest groups are White (29.8%) and Hispanic (8.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Valena
The surname Valena has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
One theory suggests that the name Valena is derived from the Latin word "valena," which means "strong" or "vigorous." This implies that the name may have been initially given to individuals who possessed these qualities or exhibited great physical strength.
Another possible origin of the name Valena is its connection to the Spanish town of Valencia. During the Middle Ages, it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the place they lived or were born. The town of Valencia, located on the eastern coast of Spain, was an important trade center and may have influenced the name's development.
In the 14th century, a document known as the "Libro de la Nobleza y Blasones de España" (Book of Nobility and Coats of Arms of Spain) mentions a nobleman named Rodrigo de Valena, who lived during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile (1312-1350). This is one of the earliest recorded instances of the Valena surname.
Another notable figure bearing the Valena surname was Pedro de Valena, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. He later became one of the first European settlers in the Caribbean region.
In the 16th century, a Portuguese family with the surname Valena gained prominence in the city of Évora. One member, Manuel Valena (1540-1612), was a renowned architect who designed several churches and other notable buildings in the region.
During the 17th century, the Valena name appeared in various parts of Spain and Portugal. One individual of note was Juana Valena (1625-1704), a Spanish painter who specialized in religious artwork and was known for her detailed portraiture.
In the 18th century, the Valena surname found its way to the Americas, particularly in the Spanish colonies. One notable figure was Francisco Valena (1732-1801), a Spanish soldier and explorer who played a significant role in the colonization of California.
These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the Valena surname throughout history, highlighting its origins and dispersal across the Iberian Peninsula and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Valena
Among Census respondents with the surname Valena, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 53.5%. The next largest groups are White (29.8%) and Hispanic (8.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Valena bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Valena surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander53.5% · 61
- White29.8% · 34
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 10
- Two or more races7.0% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Valena
Valena appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-9 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,070 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+9 bearers (+8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,412 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 19,070 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.6%) | Up 8,412 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Valena surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #146,495 | 5.4% |
| Count | 105 | 114 | 8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Valena bearers went from 105 to 114 (+8.6% change). The surname moved up 8,412 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #146,495.
FAQ
Valena surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Valena?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Valena. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Valena?
Valena ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Valena. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Valena.
Has Valena become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Valena went from 105 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 9 (+8.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Valena?
Among Census respondents with the surname Valena, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 53.5%. The next largest groups are White (29.8%) and Hispanic (8.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Valena in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.5% (61 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Valena appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (53.5%), White (29.8%), Hispanic (8.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Valena (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Valena mean?
A Spanish surname of unclear origin, possibly derived from a place name or an old personal name. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Valena (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Valena?
Find out how many people have the last name Valena on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.