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

Gavia, 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 Gavia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gavia in America

Gavia is the 45653rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gavia surname appeared 468 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 Gavia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gavia 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 Gavia

The surname GAVIA has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "gavia," which refers to a type of seabird called a gull or sea-mew. This suggests that the name may have been initially adopted by someone who resided near the sea or had an occupation related to the maritime industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GAVIA can be found in the 14th century in the city of Genoa, where a family with this surname is mentioned in historical documents. It is likely that this family may have been involved in fishing, trade, or other maritime activities.

In the late 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Battista Gavia (1460-1522) was a renowned physician and philosopher from the city of Pavia. He made significant contributions to the field of medicine and wrote several influential texts on medical theory and practice.

During the Renaissance period, the GAVIA surname also appears in the records of the Venetian Republic. A merchant named Antonio Gavia (1520-1585) was a prominent figure in the city's trade guilds and played a role in the city's commercial affairs.

In the 17th century, a military officer named Pietro Gavia (1610-1678) served in the armies of the Duchy of Milan. He was recognized for his valor and leadership during several conflicts involving the Spanish and French forces in the region.

Another notable individual with the surname GAVIA was Giacomo Gavia (1750-1820), an Italian architect and engineer who designed several important buildings and infrastructure projects in the city of Turin and surrounding areas.

While the GAVIA surname originated in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, likely due to migration and intermarriage. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to this surname can be traced back to its Italian roots, where it was associated with maritime activities, professions, and prominent individuals in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gavia

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

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

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

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