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

Felicia, 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 Felicia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Felicia in America

Felicia is the 62045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Felicia surname appeared 323 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 Felicia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Felicia 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 Felicia

The surname Felicia originates from Italy, having roots that can be traced back to the Roman era. It is derived from the Latin word "felix," meaning "happy" or "fortunate." The name likely emerged as a surname during the Middle Ages, when it was common practice to adopt surnames based on personal characteristics or traits.

In ancient Rome, "Felix" was a common cognomen (a third or additional name) bestowed upon individuals who were considered blessed or fortunate. This cognomen later evolved into a family name, which was carried forward through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Felicia can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in Campania, Italy. In this codex, dated around the 11th century, there are references to individuals bearing the surname Felicia.

Historically, the surname Felicia was associated with various noble families in Italy, particularly in regions such as Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. One notable figure was Pietro Felicia (1478-1537), an Italian humanist and scholar who served as a secretary to Pope Leo X.

Another individual of historical significance was Girolamo Felicia (1605-1677), an Italian mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion.

In the realm of literature, the surname Felicia is mentioned in the works of Dante Alighieri, the renowned Italian poet and author of the Divine Comedy. In his epic poem, Dante references a character named Felicia, though it is unclear whether this was a real person or a fictional character.

During the Renaissance period, the surname Felicia was also associated with several artists and architects, such as Francesco Felicia (1495-1560), an Italian painter and architect who worked in Rome and other Italian cities.

Another notable figure was Antonio Felicia (1675-1740), an Italian composer and violinist who was active in the early 18th century and contributed to the development of the Neapolitan school of violin playing.

As the Felicia family spread across Italy and beyond, variations of the surname emerged, such as Felici, Felice, and Feliciani. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences that shaped the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Felicia

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

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

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

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