Explore the Family Name Tena
The meaning of Tena
Catalan: 1. habitational name from any of the places called Tena or named with Tena. 2. metonymic occupational name from tena ‘tent, booth, stall’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Manuel, Jose, Ramon, Juan, Luis, Miguel, Roberto, Servando, Jaime, Jesus, Jesus Manuel, Jorge.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tena in the United States?
The surname Tena saw an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010 according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Tena ranked 12,009 in terms of surname frequency, but by 2010 it had risen to a rank of 9,865, showing an improvement of 17.85 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also grew significantly over this period from 2,387 to 3,279, marking an increase of 37.37 percent. This data suggests that for every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 1.11 are likely to be named Tena, compared to 0.88 in 2000, indicating an increase of 26.14 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,009 | #9,865 | 17.85% |
| Count | 2,387 | 3,279 | 37.37% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.88 | 1.11 | 26.14% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tena
In terms of ethnic identity, the Tena surname is predominantly associated with Hispanic ethnicity, as shown by the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, about 89.02 percent of those carrying the Tena surname identified as Hispanic, and this figure rose slightly to 89.69 percent in 2010. The percentage of those who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander increased from 2.64 to 2.87 during the same period. Interestingly, the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races nearly doubled, going from 0.25 to 0.49. On the other hand, the percentage of White individuals with the Tena surname decreased by about 18.30 percent, while the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories experienced marginal decreases.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 89.02% | 89.69% | 0.75% |
| White | 6.12% | 5% | -18.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.64% | 2.87% | 8.71% |
| Black | 1.26% | 1.25% | -0.79% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.71% | 0.7% | -1.41% |
| Two or More Races | 0.25% | 0.49% | 96% |