Explore the Family Name Carrera
The meaning of Carrera
1. Spanish and Italian (Sicily): topographic name for someone living by a main road, carrera ‘thoroughfare’, originally denoting a road passable by vehicles as well as pedestrians (from Late Latin carraria (via), a derivative of carrum ‘cart’), or a habitational name from any of various places called with this word. 2. Italian: of multiple origin: in part a topographic name from carrera ‘thoroughfare’ or a habitational name from any of various places called with this word. In northern Italian it may also be from carrera ‘barrel’, no doubt as a metonymic occupational name. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Juan, Jesus, Luis, Pedro, Carlos, Ruben, Guadalupe, Mario, Miguel, Ramon. Italian Antonio, Salvatore, Geno, Mauro, Sal, Vito, Eliseo, Flavio, Gabino, Aldino, Aldo, Alessandro.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Carrera in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Carrera has been gaining popularity over time. In 2000, it was ranked as the 2805th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 2203rd spot, representing an upward trend of 21.46 percent. The count of people sharing this surname also rose from 11,752 in 2000 to 16,533 in 2010, a significant increase of 40.68 percent. Furthermore, the proportion of individuals named Carrera per 100,000 people grew by 28.44 percent during this decade, from 4.36 to 5.6.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,805 | #2,203 | 21.46% |
| Count | 11,752 | 16,533 | 40.68% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.36 | 5.6 | 28.44% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Carrera
When it comes to ethnicity associated with the surname Carrera, the Decennial U.S. Census data presents interesting insights. The Hispanic community has the highest prevalence of this surname, showing an increase from 85.66 percent in 2000 to 88.37 percent in 2010. White individuals with the surname decreased by 20.75 percent between 2000 and 2010, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native population using Carrera witnessed a surge of 35.71 percent. There was a slight increase in its prevalence among the Asian/Pacific Islander community (1.33 percent to 1.46 percent), while its presence in the multi-racial group declined sharply by 68.83 percent. The percentage remained steady among Black individuals at 0.64 percent for both census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 85.66% | 88.37% | 3.16% |
| White | 11.47% | 9.09% | -20.75% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.33% | 1.46% | 9.77% |
| Black | 0.64% | 0.64% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.77% | 0.24% | -68.83% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.14% | 0.19% | 35.71% |
Carrera 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 Carrera is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 38.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (25.0%) and British & Irish (11.0%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Scandinavian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 38.7% |
| Indigenous American | 25.0% |
| British & Irish | 11.0% |
| Other | 25.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Carrera
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 Carrera have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Aguascalientes, Mexico | 52.80% |
| Hidalgo, Mexico | 52.80% |
| Sonora, Mexico | 52.80% |
| Nuevo Leon, Mexico | 52.80% |
| Nayarit, Mexico | 52.80% |
What Carrera 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 Carrera is R-Z278, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z278 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rey, Stokes, Macias, Colon, Blanco, Ayres, Peacock, Aponte, Vera, Ferrer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Carrera surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans
Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.
What do people with the surname Carrera 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.
"Carrera" Surname 45.0%
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.
"Carrera" Surname 21.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Carrera" Surname 20.4%
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.
"Carrera" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Carrera?
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 Carrera are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition