Santana
A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, most often from places named for a saint or sacred grove.
The #556 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,089 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Santana is generally explained as a habitational surname from a place-name formed with Spanish or Portuguese santo/santa, meaning “saint” or “holy,” plus Ana, referring to Saint Anne. In some cases the name may also be tied to older place-names referring to a sacred site or church dedicated to Saint Anne. Because surnames of this type were often adopted independently in several locations, Santana can have more than one local origin.
History
The surname is common in the Iberian world and spread widely through Spanish and Portuguese colonization, especially in Latin America, the Caribbean, and among descendants in the United States. It is also well known through notable bearers such as the Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana, which helped make the name especially recognizable internationally. In some families it may have arisen as a toponymic surname, while in others it was adopted from a religious place-name or settlement.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because “Santa Ana” and related place-names are so widespread in the Spanish-speaking world, Santana can be a surname with several independent geographic origins, not just one family line.