Castorena
A likely Spanish-language surname, probably shaped by a place-name or regional family naming pattern rather than a clearly documented single-root word.
The #7,031 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 64,876 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Castorena appears to be a Spanish-language surname, but its exact origin is not firmly established from standard surname dictionaries. It may reflect a place-name or local naming formation from the Iberian or Hispanic world, rather than a transparent everyday Spanish word. The form is unusual enough that several explanations are possible, and the safest conclusion is that it is of uncertain but likely Spanish origin.
History
The surname is found in Hispanic communities, including the United States, especially among families with roots in Mexico or the broader Spanish-speaking world. Because it is relatively uncommon and not well documented in older onomastic references, its earlier history is harder to trace than more common Spanish surnames. Modern distribution suggests it traveled through migration from Spanish-speaking regions into North America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Its rarity in older surname references makes Castorena a good example of a name whose family history may be more traceable in local records than in classic etymology books.