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

Avila, 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 Avila surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Avila in America

Avila is the 318th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Avila surname appeared 97,314 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 33 people would have the surname Avila.

We can also compare 2010 data for Avila 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 Avila

The surname Avila originated in Spain during the medieval period, specifically in the town of Avila, which is located in the Castile and León region. The name is derived from the Latin word "avilus," meaning "flat land" or "plain," which accurately describes the geography of the area.

The first recorded use of the surname Avila can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in various medieval documents and records from the region. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gonzalo de Avila, a prominent military leader who served under King Alfonso VI of León and Castile in the late 11th century.

During the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula fought to regain control from the Moors, the Avila surname gained prominence as many individuals with this name participated in the military campaigns. Notable figures from this era include Pedro de Avila, a 14th-century knight who fought in the Battle of Nájera, and Sancho de Avila, a 15th-century military commander who served under King Ferdinand II of Aragon.

The surname Avila is also associated with several religious figures, such as Juan de Avila, a 16th-century Spanish Catholic priest known as the "Apostle of Andalusia," and Gilberto de Avila, a 13th-century Archbishop of Valencia.

Other notable individuals with the Avila surname include Gil González de Avila, a 16th-century Spanish historian and chronicler, and Juan Tomás de Avila Alonso, a 17th-century Spanish painter known for his works in the Baroque style.

As the Spanish empire expanded throughout the centuries, the Avila surname spread to various regions, including Latin America, where it became prevalent in countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Avila

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

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 Avila 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 Avila 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 Avila was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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