Find out how popular the last name Anima is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Anima.

Anima, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Anima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Anima in America

Anima is the 106570th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Anima surname appeared 167 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Anima.

We can also compare 2010 data for Anima to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Anima

The surname Anima has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern regions near the Alps. It dates back to the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is likely derived from the Latin word "anima," which means "soul" or "breath of life." It's possible that the surname was initially given to someone with a particularly vibrant or lively personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Anima can be found in a document from the city of Verona, dated 1382. The document mentions a certain Giovanni Anima, a merchant involved in the trade of silk and spices. Another early reference is a record from the town of Bolzano, where a family by the name of Anima is mentioned as owning a vineyard in the year 1427.

During the Renaissance period, the name gained some prominence in the arts. Notably, there was a painter from Milan named Gian Battista Anima (1510-1578) who was known for his religious works and frescoes adorning several churches in the region. Another artist, a sculptor named Cesare Anima (1570-1638), worked on various commissions for wealthy patrons in Venice and Rome.

As the centuries passed, the Anima surname spread to other parts of Italy and beyond. In the 18th century, a composer named Giuseppe Anima (1712-1788) from Naples gained recognition for his operas and chamber music compositions. A century later, a writer and journalist named Emilio Anima (1848-1915) from Turin made a name for himself as a political satirist and social commentator.

One notable figure with the surname Anima was a military officer named Giancarlo Anima (1892-1966) who served in both World Wars. He was awarded various medals for his bravery and leadership during the Italian campaigns in North Africa and the Balkans. Another person of note was Anna Maria Anima (1921-2003), a renowned archaeologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Roman sites and artifacts.

While the surname Anima is not as common as some other Italian names, it has persisted over the centuries, with various individuals bearing the name making their mark in various fields and professions throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Anima

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Anima.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Anima was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Anima has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Anima was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Anima, please contact us.

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