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

Kolla, 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 Kolla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kolla in America

Kolla is the 52482nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kolla surname appeared 395 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 Kolla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kolla 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 Kolla

The surname Kolla has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the state of Kerala, located in the southwestern region of the country. Historically, the name Kolla was a title or honorific used to address certain communities involved in trade and commerce, particularly those engaged in maritime activities and overseas trade.

The earliest records of the surname Kolla can be traced back to the 9th century CE, during the reign of the Chera dynasty in Kerala. This dynasty played a significant role in promoting maritime trade and commerce in the region, and the Kolla community was an integral part of this thriving trade network.

The name Kolla is derived from the Tamil word "kollan," which means "merchant" or "trader." It is believed that the Kolla community originated from the coastal regions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where they were known for their expertise in seafaring and maritime trade.

In the historical records of the Chera dynasty, there are several references to the Kolla community and their involvement in overseas trade with various regions, including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and even as far as China. One notable mention is in the Tharisapalli copper plate inscriptions, dated around the 9th century CE, which mention the Kolla community as prominent merchants and traders.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kolla was Kolla Ravi (c. 950 CE – 1010 CE), a renowned merchant and navigator from the port city of Calicut (present-day Kozhikode) in Kerala. He is credited with establishing trade routes and fostering commercial ties with the Middle Eastern regions during his time.

Another prominent figure was Kolla Venkatesan (1550 CE – 1620 CE), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from the Kolla community. He is known for his contributions to the construction of temples and educational institutions in the region, as well as his support for the arts and literature.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Kolla community played a significant role in the spice trade between India and various European nations, including the Dutch, Portuguese, and British. Kolla Narayanan (1580 CE – 1650 CE) was a prominent spice trader who established trade relationships with the Dutch East India Company, facilitating the export of spices from the Malabar Coast.

In the 18th century, Kolla Govindan (1720 CE – 1790 CE) was a respected merchant and philanthropist who contributed to the development of infrastructure and educational institutions in his hometown of Alappuzha, Kerala.

Another notable figure was Kolla Krishnan (1805 CE – 1875 CE), a renowned scholar and linguist from the Kolla community. He was instrumental in preserving and promoting the Malayalam language and literature during the 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kolla

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

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

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

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