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

Cava, 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 Cava surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cava in America

Cava is the 27481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cava surname appeared 877 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 Cava.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cava 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 Cava

The surname Cava originates from Italy, specifically from the northern regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.

One theory suggests that Cava is derived from the Italian word "cava," which means "quarry" or "excavation." This association could indicate that the name was originally given to individuals who lived near or worked in a quarry or mining area.

Another possible origin is that Cava is a toponymic surname, meaning it was derived from a specific place name. There are several towns and villages in Italy with names like Cava de' Tirreni, Cava Manara, and Cava Isola, which could have contributed to the formation of the surname.

The earliest recorded instances of the Cava surname can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1296, a document from the city of Genoa mentions a certain "Guglielmo Cava," indicating the presence of the name in that region during that time period.

One notable person with the surname Cava was Giovanni Cava, a renowned architect and sculptor from Milan who lived in the 15th century. He is known for his work on several churches and palaces in the city, including the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio.

In the 16th century, a man named Gian Battista Cava was a prominent lawyer and legal scholar from Pavia. He authored several influential texts on Roman law and served as a legal advisor to the Duke of Milan.

During the 17th century, Girolamo Cava was a celebrated painter from the city of Turin. His works, which often depicted religious scenes and portraits, can be found in various churches and galleries throughout northern Italy.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Cava was a renowned architect and urban planner from Piedmont. He was responsible for designing several public buildings and reshaping the layout of several cities in the region, including Asti and Alessandria.

Another notable figure with the surname Cava was Felice Cava, a 19th-century Italian patriot and revolutionary who fought for the unification of Italy. He participated in several uprisings against foreign rule and is remembered as a hero of the Risorgimento movement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cava

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

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

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

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