NameCensus.

UK surname

Mena

A Spanish surname derived from the word "mena," meaning "mineral ore," likely referring to an ancestor's occupation in mining.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Mena surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Haringey and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mena is 120 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3900.0%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

2016

120 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mena had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Mena surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mena surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mena surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mena over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 7 #32,070
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 14 #33,037
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 51 #32,545
1998 modern 65 #31,477
1999 modern 67 #31,409
2000 modern 59 #32,217
2001 modern 58 #32,180
2002 modern 62 #32,214
2003 modern 61 #32,352
2004 modern 63 #32,380
2005 modern 68 #32,097
2006 modern 72 #32,059
2007 modern 82 #31,295
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Menas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Haringey, Leicester, Barnet and Ealing. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 021 Chelmsford
2 Haringey 008 Haringey
3 Leicester 020 Leicester
4 Barnet 012 Barnet
5 Ealing 005 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mena

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mena surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mena

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mena, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Mena surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mena household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mena is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mena is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mena falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mena is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mena, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mena

The surname Mena is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is believed to have originated from the Latin word "mina," which translates to "mine" or "mineral deposit," suggesting a connection to mining or mineral-rich regions.

One of the earliest known mentions of the Mena surname can be found in the "Becerro de las Behetrías de Castilla," a 14th-century manuscript that documented land ownership and taxation in the Kingdom of Castile. This record indicates that the name was already established in the region during that time.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Mena surname gained prominence in various parts of Spain, particularly in the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura, and Castile. It is associated with several notable figures from this era, such as Pedro de Mena (1628-1688), a renowned Spanish sculptor known for his exquisite religious works and considered one of the leading artists of the Baroque period in Spain.

Another prominent individual bearing the Mena surname was Juan de Mena (1411-1456), a renowned Spanish poet and author of the epic poem "El Laberinto de Fortuna" (The Labyrinth of Fortune). His work is considered a seminal piece of Spanish literature and played a significant role in the development of the Spanish literary tradition.

In the 18th century, the Mena surname appeared in records related to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. One notable figure was Tomás de Mena y Ramírez (1681-1755), a Spanish military officer and governor of Chile from 1734 to 1737. His tenure was marked by efforts to strengthen the colony's defenses and address conflicts with indigenous populations.

The name Mena is also found in other Spanish-speaking regions, such as Mexico and parts of Central America, likely due to the migration and settlement of Spanish colonists in these areas during the colonial period.

It is worth noting that variations of the Mena surname exist, including Menas, Menez, and Menez, reflecting regional linguistic influences and spelling variations over time. Additionally, the name may have connections to certain place names or geographic features, further reinforcing its ties to specific regions or localities within Spain and its former colonial territories.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mena families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mena surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 1 Menas recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.42x.

County Total Index
Durham 1 17.42x
Middlesex 1 5.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pelton in Durham leads with 1 Menas recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Pelton 1 3333.33x
Westminster St James 1 500.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mena surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Hannah 1
Marjorie 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mena households.

Occupation Count
Nursemaid 1
Pitmans Daur 1

FAQ

Mena surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mena surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Mena surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mena surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Mena a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Mena surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the word "mena," meaning "mineral ore," likely referring to an ancestor's occupation in mining.

What does the Mena map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mena bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.