2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Lavenia
Of Greek origin, it means "victory" or "glory" when used as a surname.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Lavenia. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lavenia surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Lavenia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lavenia, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.2%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lavenia
The surname Lavenia has its origins in the northwestern region of Italy, particularly in the areas surrounding the city of Turin, dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "laverna," which refers to a type of protective deity or goddess associated with hidden spaces and secrecy.
One of the earliest known references to the name Lavenia can be found in a medieval manuscript from the year 1312, which mentions a family bearing this surname residing in the small village of Castellamonte, located in the Piedmont region of Italy. This document suggests that the family may have been involved in some form of trade or commerce, as it details a transaction involving the sale of livestock.
By the 15th century, the surname Lavenia had spread to other parts of Italy, including the regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Historical records from this period indicate that the name was particularly prominent in the city of Parma, where a notable figure named Girolamo Lavenia (1435-1503) served as a respected scholar and philosopher.
In the 16th century, the Lavenia family gained prominence in the city of Milan, where a wealthy merchant named Antonio Lavenia (1520-1587) established a successful trading company that dealt in luxury goods from the Mediterranean region. His son, Francesco Lavenia (1552-1621), followed in his footsteps and expanded the family's business interests into the banking sector.
Another significant figure bearing the surname Lavenia was Giulia Lavenia (1674-1744), a renowned artist from the city of Bologna who specialized in portraiture and religious paintings. Her works can still be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.
During the 18th century, the Lavenia family established a presence in the United States, with several members emigrating from Italy to seek new opportunities. One notable individual from this era was Lorenzo Lavenia (1725-1798), who settled in Philadelphia and became a successful merchant and landowner.
As the centuries progressed, the surname Lavenia continued to spread across different regions and countries, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in diverse fields and professions. While the name's origins can be traced back to a specific area in Italy, its historical significance and cultural impact have extended far beyond its initial geographic boundaries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lavenia
Among Census respondents with the surname Lavenia, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.2%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Lavenia bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lavenia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 98
- Two or more races6.2% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lavenia
Lavenia appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
-14 bearers (-10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,758 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-11 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,628 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.1%) | Down 18,758 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 11,628 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lavenia surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #135,593 | #147,221 | -8.6% |
| Count | 124 | 113 | -8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lavenia bearers went from 124 to 113 (-8.9% change). The surname moved down 11,628 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #147,221.
FAQ
Lavenia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lavenia?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Lavenia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Lavenia?
Lavenia ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Lavenia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lavenia.
Has Lavenia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lavenia went from 124 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Lavenia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lavenia, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.2%) and Hispanic (5.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lavenia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lavenia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Two or More Races (6.2%), Hispanic (5.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lavenia (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lavenia mean?
Of Greek origin, it means "victory" or "glory" when used as a surname. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lavenia (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Lavenia?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.