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

Cella, 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 Cella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cella in America

Cella is the 14220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cella surname appeared 2,110 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 Cella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cella 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 Cella

The surname Cella originated in Italy, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "cella," which means "a small room" or "a small dwelling." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived in small houses or worked in storage rooms.

In the early medieval period, the name Cella was found primarily in the northern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Milan and Genoa. It is believed that some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 11th and 12th centuries, when it appeared in various legal documents and property records.

One notable historical reference to the name Cella is found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis," a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery in Cava dei Tirreni, located in the southern Italian region of Campania. The codex contains several mentions of individuals with the surname Cella, suggesting that the name had spread to other parts of Italy by the 13th century.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Cella was Guglielmo Cella, a merchant from Milan who lived in the late 12th century. He is mentioned in a document from 1187 as having conducted trade with the city of Pisa. Another early example is Pietro Cella, a lawyer from Genoa who was active in the 13th century and is referenced in legal records from the time.

During the Renaissance period, the Cella name gained further prominence, with several notable figures emerging. One such individual was Giovan Battista Cella, a renowned sculptor from Milan who lived from 1480 to 1557. His works can be found in various churches and palaces across northern Italy.

Another significant figure was Girolamo Cella, a 16th-century physician and scholar from Genoa. He authored several medical treatises and was highly regarded for his contributions to the field of anatomy.

In the 17th century, the Cella name became associated with the town of Cella Monte, located in the province of Alessandria, Piedmont. This area was once known as Cella Monti, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

Throughout history, other notable individuals with the surname Cella include Paolo Cella, a 15th-century painter from Venice; Claudio Cella, a 16th-century architect from Ferrara; and Lorenzo Cella, a 17th-century composer and musician from Naples.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cella

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

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

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

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