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

Calica, 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 Calica surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Calica in America

Calica is the 40800th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Calica surname appeared 535 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 Calica.

We can also compare 2010 data for Calica 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 Calica

The surname Calica is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the southern region of Calabria, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "calx," meaning "lime" or "limestone," which suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who worked in lime quarries or produced lime for construction purposes.

One of the earliest records of the name Calica can be found in a 13th-century document from the town of Reggio Calabria, where a certain Pietro Calica was mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the family had achieved a certain level of prominence and wealth by that time.

In the 15th century, the name appears in records from the city of Naples, where a family of merchants and traders bearing the surname Calica was active in the Mediterranean trade routes. One notable member was Giulio Calica (1435-1502), a successful merchant who established trade connections with the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

During the Renaissance period, the Calica family produced several notable figures in the arts and sciences. Andrea Calica (1510-1579), a painter from Cosenza, was renowned for his religious works and frescoes adorning churches throughout southern Italy. His contemporary, Vincenzo Calica (1518-1587), was a renowned philosopher and mathematician who taught at the University of Naples.

In the 18th century, the name Calica gained prominence in the field of medicine. Giuseppe Calica (1745-1812), a physician from Reggio Calabria, made significant contributions to the study of infectious diseases and public health. His treatise on the prevention of malaria was widely influential in the region.

Another notable figure was Giovanna Calica (1785-1867), a philanthropist and benefactor from Catanzaro. She established several schools and orphanages in her hometown, and her legacy is celebrated to this day through the Calica Foundation, which continues to support educational and charitable initiatives in the region.

While the surname Calica has its roots in southern Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by immigrants seeking new opportunities. However, its historical origins and associations with the limestone industry, trade, arts, sciences, and philanthropy remain an integral part of its legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Calica

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!