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

Gavina, 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 Gavina surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gavina in America

Gavina is the 29366th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gavina surname appeared 805 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 Gavina.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gavina 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 Gavina

The surname GAVINA has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Spain and Portugal, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "gavius," meaning "jackdaw" or "crow." This association with birds suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone with a particular physical characteristic resembling these avian creatures.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GAVINA surname can be found in Catalonian records from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Gavina." This spelling variation likely stemmed from the region's unique linguistic influences, blending Latin, Arabic, and various Romance languages.

During the medieval period, the GAVINA name appeared in several documented sources, including the "Libro de las Behetrias" from the 14th century, which was a registry of landowners and their properties in the Kingdom of Castile. This historical text provides valuable insights into the distribution and prominence of the GAVINA family during that era.

As the GAVINA surname spread across the Iberian Peninsula, it adopted various spellings, such as "Gaviña" and "Gaviño," reflecting the regional linguistic nuances. One notable individual bearing the name was Pedro Gavina, a renowned architect from Valencia, Spain, who lived in the 16th century and contributed to the construction of several significant structures, including the Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes.

In the 17th century, a branch of the GAVINA family migrated to the Americas, where the name took root in various regions, particularly in Mexico and Argentina. Juan Gavina, a Spanish conquistador born in 1592, played a pivotal role in the exploration and colonization of present-day Argentina.

Another notable figure from the 18th century was María Gavina, a respected philanthropist from Seville, Spain, who dedicated her life and resources to establishing orphanages and providing assistance to the underprivileged.

As the centuries passed, the GAVINA surname continued to flourish, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark across various disciplines. One such example is José Gavina, a celebrated Spanish painter born in 1868, whose works captured the vibrant landscapes and everyday life of his native Catalonia.

In the 20th century, the GAVINA name gained further recognition through the accomplishments of individuals like Rafael Gavina, a renowned Argentinian writer and poet born in 1924, whose works explored themes of identity, social justice, and the human experience.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gavina

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!