2000
#119,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Malavenda
A surname derived from a Spanish/Italian phrase meaning "bad sale" or "poor deal".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Malavenda. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Malavenda 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Malavenda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Malavenda, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (27.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Malavenda
The surname Malavenda has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged during the Middle Ages. Derived from the Italian words "mala" meaning "bad" and "venda" meaning "sale," the name likely referred to an individual who was involved in shady business dealings or disreputable sales practices.
One of the earliest known references to the Malavenda name can be found in a 13th-century Venetian merchant's ledger, which mentions a "Giovanni Malavenda" who was accused of selling substandard goods. This suggests that the name had already gained a negative connotation by that time.
In the 14th century, records from the city of Florence mention a wealthy merchant family called the Malavenda, who were known for their involvement in the lucrative silk trade. However, their business dealings were often shrouded in controversy, with accusations of price-gouging and unethical practices.
A notable bearer of the Malavenda name was Beatrice Malavenda (1415-1489), a renowned painter from the Venetian school. Despite her artistic talents, she was also known for her controversial personal life and was rumored to have engaged in illicit affairs with several wealthy patrons.
In the 16th century, a man named Giacomo Malavenda (1520-1587) gained notoriety as a skilled swordsman and mercenary. He was employed by various noble families in Italy and was rumored to have been involved in several high-profile assassinations, earning him the nickname "Il Malavenda" (The Malavenda).
During the Renaissance period, the Malavenda name also gained prominence in the world of literature. One of the most famous bearers of the name was the poet and playwright Antonio Malavenda (1575-1642), whose works often explored themes of deception, greed, and moral corruption.
Throughout its history, the Malavenda surname has been associated with a certain air of controversy and questionable ethics, reflecting its origins as a name linked to disreputable business practices. While some bearers of the name have achieved notable success, the surname continues to carry a subtle undertone of suspicion and mistrust.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Malavenda
Among Census respondents with the surname Malavenda, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (27.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Malavenda 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 Malavenda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.2% · 73
- Hispanic or Latino27.1% · 29
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Malavenda
Malavenda 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
#123,796
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
+5 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 4,152 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-32 bearers (-23.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 27,843 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #119,644 | 134 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #123,796 | 139 | 0.05 | +5 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 4,152 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -32 bearers (-23.0%) | Down 27,843 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 Malavenda 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 | #123,796 | #151,639 | -22.5% |
| Count | 139 | 107 | -23.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -28.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Malavenda bearers went from 139 to 107 (-23.0% change). The surname moved down 27,843 positions in the national ranking, going from #123,796 to #151,639.
FAQ
Malavenda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Malavenda?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Malavenda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Malavenda?
Malavenda ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Malavenda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Malavenda.
Has Malavenda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Malavenda went from 139 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 32 (-23.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #123,796 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Malavenda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Malavenda, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (27.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Malavenda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.2% (73 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Malavenda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.2%), Hispanic (27.1%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Malavenda (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 Malavenda mean?
A surname derived from a Spanish/Italian phrase meaning "bad sale" or "poor deal". 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 Malavenda (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 are called Malavenda?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Malavenda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.