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

Elefante, 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 Elefante surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Elefante in America

Elefante is the 43885th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Elefante surname appeared 491 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 Elefante.

We can also compare 2010 data for Elefante 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 Elefante

The surname Elefante originated in Italy, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "elefante," which means "elephant." This name was likely bestowed upon someone who displayed qualities reminiscent of an elephant, such as strength, size, or a calm demeanor.

One of the earliest records of the Elefante surname can be found in the archives of the city of Siena, where a certain Gio Elefante was documented in the 14th century. It is believed that this individual may have been a merchant or trader who dealt in exotic goods, including ivory from Africa, which could explain the association with the elephant.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various historical documents from the region of Tuscany, where the Elefante family seemed to have established themselves as landowners and members of the local aristocracy. One notable figure was Pietro Elefante, who served as a diplomat for the Republic of Florence in the late 1400s.

As the Elefante name spread throughout Italy, it also took on variations in spelling, such as Elefanti and Elefantis. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciations.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Elefante name outside of Italy was Juan Elefante, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Juan Elefante is believed to have been of Italian descent, likely hailing from a family that had settled in Spain.

In the 16th century, the Elefante name gained prominence in the arts, with the Italian painter Vincenzo Elefante (1520-1590) becoming renowned for his religious works and frescoes adorning churches throughout Rome and the surrounding regions.

Another notable figure was the philosopher and scholar Giambattista Elefante (1598-1672), who contributed significantly to the fields of metaphysics and ethics during the Renaissance period.

Throughout the centuries, the Elefante name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, military personnel, and members of the clergy. However, it is important to note that many historical records from earlier periods may have been lost or incomplete, making it challenging to trace the full lineage and impact of this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Elefante

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

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

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

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