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

Bella, 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 Bella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bella in America

Bella is the 10668th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bella surname appeared 2,999 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bella 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 Bella

The surname Bella originates from Italy and dates back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Italian word "bella," which means "beautiful" or "lovely." The name was likely given as a nickname or descriptive surname to someone who was considered attractive or good-looking.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bella can be found in Italian historical records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. The name appears to have been particularly prevalent in regions such as Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, where Italian dialects and variations of the name may have been used.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Bella was Arigo Bella, a renowned Italian painter and architect from Florence who lived during the 14th century. His works included frescoes and architectural designs for churches and public buildings in Tuscany.

Another individual of note was Giovanni Bella, a 15th-century Italian merchant and diplomat from Genoa. He was known for his successful trading ventures and negotiations with other European powers on behalf of the Republic of Genoa.

In the 16th century, Vincenzo Bella was a celebrated Italian composer and lutenist from Naples. He contributed to the development of early Baroque music and was renowned for his virtuosic lute compositions.

During the 17th century, Girolamo Bella was a prominent Italian engraver and printmaker from Padua. His etchings and engravings depicted landscapes, architectural scenes, and historical events, and his works were widely circulated throughout Europe.

In the 19th century, Stefano Bella was an Italian poet and writer from Liguria. He was known for his romantic poetry and writings that celebrated the beauty of his native region and its cultural traditions.

While the surname Bella has roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to the medieval era in various regions of the Italian peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bella

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

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

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

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