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

Marcella, 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 Marcella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marcella in America

Marcella is the 24446th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marcella surname appeared 1,024 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 Marcella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Marcella 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 Marcella

The surname Marcella is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to ancient Rome. It is derived from the Latin word "Marcus," which was a common Roman praenomen or personal name. The name Marcus itself is believed to have originated from the word "mas," meaning male or masculine.

During the Roman era, Marcella was primarily used as a feminine form of Marcus, often given to women belonging to the gens Marcia, a prominent Roman family. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marcella can be found in the writings of St. Jerome, who mentioned a wealthy Roman widow named Marcella from the 4th century CE.

The surname Marcella began to emerge in medieval Italy, particularly in regions like Tuscany and Lazio. It was often associated with individuals who had ties to the ancient Roman families or those who claimed descent from the gens Marcia. The name appeared in various forms, such as Marcelli, Marcellini, and Marcelloni, reflecting regional variations and diminutive forms.

One notable figure in history was Giovanni Marcellino (1489-1567), an Italian Renaissance painter and architect from Treviso. He was known for his frescoes and architectural works, including the design of the Church of San Salvatore in Venice.

Another prominent individual was Giovanni Marcello (1686-1768), a Venetian nobleman, philosopher, and writer. He was a member of the prestigious Accademia degli Incogniti and authored several works on political and economic theory.

In the literary realm, Maria Marcella (1595-1651) was an Italian poet and playwright from Naples. She was celebrated for her mastery of lyric poetry and her contributions to the development of the Neapolitan dialect in literature.

The surname Marcella also found its way into the religious sphere, with figures like Marcella Alberini (1619-1686), an Italian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation. She was beatified by Pope Pius VII in 1828.

Lastly, Marcella Sembrich (1858-1935) was a renowned Polish operatic soprano who achieved international acclaim during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She performed in many prestigious opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and was recognized for her exceptional vocal abilities and interpretations of various roles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marcella

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

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

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

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