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

Colavita, 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 Colavita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colavita in America

Colavita is the 53667th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colavita surname appeared 385 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 Colavita.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colavita 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 Colavita

The surname Colavita has its origins in Italy, with records dating back to the 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Latin words "cola" and "vita," meaning "cultivator" and "life," respectively. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with those who worked in agriculture or cultivated the land for a living.

The earliest known record of the name Colavita can be found in a document from the Abruzzo region of central Italy, dated around 1460. This document mentions a certain Giovanni Colavita, who was a landowner and farmer in the area. Over the following centuries, the name spread to other regions of Italy, particularly in the southern regions of Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria.

One notable historical reference to the Colavita name can be found in a 16th-century manuscript from the town of Avigliano in Basilicata. This manuscript contains a record of a legal dispute involving a Francesco Colavita, who was a local landowner and merchant. The document provides valuable insight into the social and economic status of those bearing the Colavita name during that time period.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Colavita family migrated to the island of Sicily, where they established themselves in the city of Palermo. One of the earliest recorded Colavitas in Sicily was Antonio Colavita, who was born in 1652 and became a prominent merchant and trader in the region.

Another significant figure in the history of the Colavita name was Vincenzo Colavita, born in 1735 in the town of Montalbano Jonico, Basilicata. Vincenzo was a renowned artist and sculptor, known for his intricate marble and stone carvings that adorned various churches and public buildings in southern Italy.

As the Colavita name spread throughout Italy, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. In the late 19th century, a large wave of Italian immigration brought many Colavitas to the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere. One of the earliest recorded Colavitas in the United States was Giuseppe Colavita, who arrived in New York City from Naples in 1892.

Despite its widespread distribution, the Colavita name has maintained its strong connection to its Italian roots and the agricultural heritage suggested by its etymology. Throughout history, individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions in fields such as farming, viticulture, and culinary arts, reflecting the name's original association with the cultivation of life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colavita

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

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

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

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