Map of Spain showing where the Mena arms are recorded
The Mena arms were recorded in Castile, c. 1722.
Castile was the heart of Spain and the source of most of its noble families. Land won in the long wars against the Moors was granted out to fighting men, and a man granted land was granted arms along with it.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Spain in this period.
Philip V of Spain
Sovereign of the period
Philip V of Spain
1714–1724
Reigning in Spain when the Mena arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Spain
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
Granting authority
The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms
Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Castile.
Origin & History of the Mena Family in Spain
The family name Mena has deep roots in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly within the region of Castile. Historical records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area by the early eighteenth century, specifically by 1722. The name itself is often linked to the geography of northern Spain, as it is closely associated with the Valle de Mena in the province of Burgos. During the medieval period, families often took their surnames from the specific valleys or towns where they held land or lived as prominent citizens. As the influence of the Castilian crown expanded, families from these northern territories frequently moved into other parts of Spain to serve in administrative or military roles. This migration helped the name spread from its ancestral valley into the broader cultural landscape of the Spanish empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Minas
Latin term referring to a mine or a mineral deposit.
This name
MenaA habitational surname for someone who lived near a mine or worked in mining.
also spelled
Mayna
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Morgado García, Arturo. La familia en la España moderna. 2012
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wolfReward from long service and hard work
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