Explore the Family Name Arena
The meaning of Arena
Italian (southern) and Spanish: habitational name from any of numerous places called with arena ‘sand, sandy place’. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Salvatore, Angelo, Rosario, Sal, Mario, Antonio, Vito, Natale, Rocco, Aldo, Claudio, Domenic, Maurizio, Nunzio, Pietro. Spanish Jose Fernando, Juanita, Salvador, Alfonso, Alvaro, Angelina, Armando, Berta.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Arena in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Arena has slightly declined over a decade. In 2000, Arena was ranked 5,014th in popularity but it dropped by 3.89% to 5,209th in 2010. Despite the decreased ranking, the number of individuals carrying the Arena surname increased by 4.44%, from 6,421 in 2000 to 6,706 in 2010. The proportion per 100k people also experienced a drop of 4.62%, reducing from 2.38 in 2000 to 2.27 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,014 | #5,209 | -3.89% |
| Count | 6,421 | 6,706 | 4.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.38 | 2.27 | -4.62% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Arena
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Arena. The majority of those bearing this name are White, though the percentage decreased by 4.23% from 90.28% in 2000 to 86.46% in 2010. Hispanic representation saw a significant increase of 38.25%, moving from 6.85% in 2000 to 9.47% in 2010. The share of Asian/Pacific Islanders and Blacks using the Arena surname also grew, by 75.61% and 47.06% respectively. Meanwhile, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Natives shrunk by 36.36%. The group identifying with two or more races showed a modest increase of 7.92%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.28% | 86.46% | -4.23% |
| Hispanic | 6.85% | 9.47% | 38.25% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.23% | 2.16% | 75.61% |
| Two or More Races | 1.01% | 1.09% | 7.92% |
| Black | 0.51% | 0.75% | 47.06% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.11% | 0.07% | -36.36% |
Arena ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Arena is Italian, which comprises 42.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.2%) and French & German (12.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 42.5% |
| British & Irish | 27.2% |
| French & German | 12.8% |
| Other | 17.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Arena
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Arena have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Sicily, Italy | 73.50% |
| Calabria, Italy | 71.20% |
| Campania, Italy | 70.50% |
| Apulia, Italy | 65.90% |
| Lazio, Italy | 56.80% |
What Arena haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Arena is J-L283, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L283 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-L295 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Leo, Costa, Fernandes, Hoffmann, Pinto, Gallo, Ferrara, Orlando, Kraft, Simon.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Arena surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Arena have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Arena" Surname 47.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Arena" Surname 40.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Arena" Surname 17.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Arena" Surname 16.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Arena?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Arena are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition