2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Clavelli
An Italian surname deriving from an occupational description for a nail maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Clavelli. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Clavelli 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Clavelli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Clavelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Clavelli
The surname CLAVELLI is of Italian origin, with its earliest roots traced back to the regions of Tuscany and Umbria during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Latin word "clavus," meaning "nail" or "key," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have been locksmiths, blacksmiths, or artisans involved in metalworking trades.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CLAVELLI name can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of legal documents from the Lombard Kingdom in Italy, dating back to the 8th century. The name appears as "Clavellus," indicating its use as a personal name or descriptor at that time.
In the 13th century, the CLAVELLI surname is mentioned in several legal documents and chronicles from the cities of Florence and Perugia, where families with this name held prominent positions in local governance and commerce. One notable figure was Guglielmo CLAVELLI, a wealthy merchant and banker from Florence, who lived between 1220 and 1290.
During the Renaissance period, the CLAVELLI name gained further recognition through the artistic accomplishments of Pietro CLAVELLI, a renowned sculptor and architect from Siena, born in 1475. His works can be found adorning various churches and palaces throughout Italy, with his most famous creation being the marble altar in the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena.
In the 18th century, the CLAVELLI family established itself in the Kingdom of Naples, where they were granted noble titles and landholdings. One prominent member was Count Giovanni Battista CLAVELLI (1712-1789), a respected jurist and statesman who served as a judge in the Supreme Court of Naples.
Another noteworthy individual bearing the CLAVELLI surname was Gaetano CLAVELLI (1786-1867), a celebrated poet and playwright from Rome. His works, which included numerous tragedies and comedies, were widely performed and acclaimed during the Romantic era in Italy.
Throughout its history, the CLAVELLI name has been associated with various professions, from artisans and merchants to noblemen and men of letters, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this surname across generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Clavelli
Among Census respondents with the surname Clavelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Clavelli 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 Clavelli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Clavelli
Clavelli appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-13 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,348 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+6 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,171 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 20,348 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.3%) | Up 3,171 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 Clavelli 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 | #145,220 | #142,049 | 2.2% |
| Count | 114 | 120 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Clavelli bearers went from 114 to 120 (+5.3% change). The surname moved up 3,171 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #142,049.
FAQ
Clavelli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Clavelli?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Clavelli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Clavelli?
Clavelli ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 120 people with the surname Clavelli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Clavelli.
Has Clavelli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Clavelli went from 114 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 6 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #145,220 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Clavelli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Clavelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Clavelli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Clavelli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Clavelli (2000, 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 Clavelli mean?
An Italian surname deriving from an occupational description for a nail maker. 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 Clavelli (0.04 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 many people have the surname Clavelli?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.