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

Catana, 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 Catana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Catana in America

Catana is the 60960th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Catana surname appeared 330 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 Catana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Catana 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 Catana

The surname Catana has its origins in Italy, specifically the island of Sicily. It emerged during the Middle Ages, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries. The name is derived from the Greek word "katana," which means "sword" or "dagger." This connection suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname or a descriptive term for someone skilled with a sword or someone who worked as a sword maker.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Catana can be found in a document from the 13th century, which refers to a person named Giovanni Catana. This document was discovered in the archives of the city of Palermo, further reinforcing the Sicilian roots of the surname.

During the 14th century, the name Catana appeared in several official records and manuscripts, including land deeds and tax records. One notable example is the mention of a family named Catana in the "Riveli" (tax rolls) of the Kingdom of Sicily from the year 1340.

The surname Catana is also closely associated with the city of Catania, located on the eastern coast of Sicily. This city's name is derived from the ancient Greek word "Katane," which means "rocky ground" or "steep terrain." It is possible that some bearers of the Catana surname may have originated from or had connections to this city.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Catana:

1. Francesco Catana (1592-1667), a Sicilian painter known for his religious works and portraits.
2. Vincenzo Catana (1693-1765), a Sicilian architect and engineer who contributed to the reconstruction efforts after the devastating earthquake of 1693 in southeastern Sicily.
3. Giuseppe Catana (1815-1892), an Italian patriot and revolutionary who participated in the Risorgimento, the movement that ultimately led to the unification of Italy.
4. Maria Catana (1878-1962), a Sicilian opera singer who performed in various theaters across Europe in the early 20th century.
5. Salvatore Catana (1914-1989), an Italian-American businessman and philanthropist who established several successful enterprises in New York City.

While the surname Catana is not among the most common Italian surnames, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of Sicily. Its connection to the ancient Greek language and the city of Catania adds an intriguing layer to its etymology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Catana

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

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

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

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