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

DaSilva, 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 DaSilva surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DaSilva in America

DaSilva is the 1767th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DaSilva surname appeared 20,338 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname DaSilva.

We can also compare 2010 data for DaSilva 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 DaSilva

The surname DASILVA has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Portuguese phrase "da silva," which translates to "from the forest" or "from the woods." This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or worked in a forested area.

In the early days, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as "Da Silva," "D'Assilva," or "DeSilva," reflecting regional dialects and orthographic preferences. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Portuguese historical documents from the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly in regions like Minho, Trás-os-Montes, and Beiras.

One notable early figure bearing this surname was João da Silva, a Portuguese explorer who participated in the conquest of Ceuta in 1415, during the reign of King John I. Another prominent individual was Diogo da Silva, a 15th-century navigator and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1497-1499.

As the Portuguese empire expanded, the DASILVA name spread to various colonies and territories, including Brazil, Africa, and parts of Asia. In Brazil, the name became particularly common, with many notable figures emerging over the centuries. One such individual was Tomé da Silva Teles, a 17th-century landowner and cattle rancher who played a significant role in the development of the Brazilian Northeast.

In the 18th century, José da Silva Lisboa, also known as the Viscount of Cairu, was a prominent Brazilian economist and statesman who made significant contributions to the country's economic and political development. Later, in the 19th century, Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, became a prominent figure in the Brazilian independence movement and is considered a national hero.

Other notable individuals with the DASILVA surname include the 20th-century Portuguese writer and poet Miguel Torga (1907-1995), whose real name was Adolfo Correia da Silva, and the Brazilian actress and producer Camila da Silva (born 1985), known for her work in television and film.

Overall, the DASILVA surname has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval Portugal, and it has since spread across the globe, carried by explorers, settlers, and individuals from various walks of life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DaSilva

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

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

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

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