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

Favela, 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 Favela surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Favela in America

Favela is the 4761st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Favela surname appeared 7,439 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Favela.

We can also compare 2010 data for Favela 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 Favela

The surname "FAVELA" is of Brazilian origin and can be traced back to the late 19th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "favela," which refers to a hillside shantytown or informal urban settlement. The name is closely associated with the Morro da Favela, a hill in Rio de Janeiro, where the first favela community emerged in the late 1800s.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname "FAVELA" can be found in the municipal records of Rio de Janeiro from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These records documented the growth of the Morro da Favela community and the families who resided there. The name likely originated as a way to identify individuals who were living in or associated with this particular favela settlement.

While the surname "FAVELA" is predominantly found in Brazil, it has also been recorded in other Portuguese-speaking countries, such as Portugal and Angola, likely due to migration patterns and the historical connections between these nations. Some notable individuals with the surname "FAVELA" include:

1. Joao Favela (1877-1946), a Brazilian writer and journalist who documented life in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
2. Maria Favela (1905-1988), a Brazilian social activist and community leader who fought for better living conditions in the favelas.
3. Pedro Favela (1920-2002), a Brazilian painter known for his vibrant depictions of favela life and landscapes.
4. Felicia Favela (1935-2018), a Portuguese-Brazilian artist and sculptor whose works were influenced by the favela communities.
5. Ricardo Favela (born 1972), a contemporary Brazilian author and playwright who has written extensively about the experiences of favela residents.

Throughout its history, the surname "FAVELA" has been closely intertwined with the social and cultural fabric of these informal urban settlements in Brazil. While initially associated with poverty and marginalization, the name has also come to represent resilience, community, and the rich cultural heritage of the favela residents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Favela

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

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

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

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