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

Colella, 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 Colella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colella in America

Colella is the 7971st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colella surname appeared 4,150 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 Colella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colella 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 Colella

The surname Colella has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of Campania and Calabria. It is believed to have emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

One theory suggests that the name Colella is derived from the Latin word "collis," meaning "hill" or "elevated ground." This could indicate that the surname was initially associated with individuals residing in hilly or mountainous areas. Alternatively, it may have been a descriptive surname referring to a physical characteristic or occupation related to hills or elevation.

In some historical records, the name appears with slight variations in spelling, such as Collella or Colilla. These variations were common in the past due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects.

One of the earliest documented appearances of the surname Colella can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Barese," a collection of medieval documents from the Province of Bari, dating back to the 12th century. This suggests that the name was already established in southern Italy during that time period.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Colella. For instance, Fabio Colella (1630-1694) was an Italian painter and engraver active during the Baroque period. His works can be found in various churches and museums across Italy.

Another individual of note was Giacomo Colella (1658-1719), an Italian architect and engineer who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in Naples and the surrounding areas.

In the 19th century, Giuseppe Colella (1821-1902) was an Italian politician and writer from the region of Campania. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and published several works on political and social topics.

The name Colella also has connections to certain place names in southern Italy. For example, there is a town called Colella in the province of Avellino, located in the Campania region. This town's name likely shares the same linguistic roots as the surname.

Furthermore, Antonio Colella (1881-1957) was an Italian-American labor organizer and activist who played a significant role in the establishment of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) labor union in the early 20th century.

While the surname Colella is predominantly found in Italy, it has also spread to other parts of the world through immigration. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the southern Italian regions of Campania and Calabria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colella

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

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

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

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