2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Cannavale
An occupational surname derived from 'canna' meaning a cane or reed, referring to an early cane or reed worker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Cannavale. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cannavale surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Cannavale in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cannavale, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cannavale
The surname Cannavale has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of Campania and Basilicata. It emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 13th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Italian word "cannava," which means hemp or hemp field. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been involved in the cultivation or processing of hemp.
One of the earliest known references to the name Cannavale can be found in the historic records of the Duchy of Naples, dating back to the 14th century. These records mention individuals with the surname Cannavale residing in the towns and villages surrounding Naples, such as Pozzuoli and Sorrento.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Cannavale was Vincenzo Cannavale, a renowned painter from Naples. His works can still be found in various churches and museums throughout southern Italy.
During the 17th century, the Cannavale family established a presence in the town of Potenza, located in the region of Basilicata. Several members of the family were involved in local politics and held influential positions within the town's administration.
Another notable individual with the surname Cannavale was Antonio Cannavale, born in 1789 in the town of Montesano sulla Marcellana, located in the province of Salerno. Antonio was a distinguished lawyer and served as a judge during the Napoleonic era.
In the 19th century, the name Cannavale appeared in various historical records from the regions of Campania and Basilicata. One such individual was Giuseppe Cannavale, born in 1822 in the town of Lauria, Basilicata. Giuseppe was a renowned scholar and author, known for his contributions to the study of Italian literature and linguistics.
Another notable figure from this period was Raffaele Cannavale, born in 1856 in Naples. Raffaele was a highly respected physician and played a crucial role in the development of modern medical practices in southern Italy.
As the 20th century approached, the Cannavale name continued to be associated with various professions and fields. One example is Maria Cannavale, born in 1892 in the town of Pisciotta, Campania. Maria was a renowned educator and advocate for women's education in Italy.
It is important to note that while the surname Cannavale has its roots in southern Italy, it has since spread to other regions and countries due to migration and immigration patterns.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cannavale
Among Census respondents with the surname Cannavale, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Cannavale bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cannavale surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino8.0% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cannavale
Cannavale appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 5,293 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 5,293 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cannavale surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #160,975 | #155,682 | 3.3% |
| Count | 100 | 100 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cannavale bearers went from 100 to 100 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 5,293 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #155,682.
FAQ
Cannavale surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cannavale?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Cannavale. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Cannavale?
Cannavale ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 100 people with the surname Cannavale. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cannavale.
Has Cannavale become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cannavale went from 100 recorded bearers to 100. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Cannavale?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cannavale, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cannavale in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cannavale appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Hispanic (8.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cannavale (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cannavale mean?
An occupational surname derived from 'canna' meaning a cane or reed, referring to an early cane or reed worker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cannavale (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Cannavale?
If you just want to know how many people are called Cannavale, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.