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

Nola, 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 Nola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nola in America

Nola is the 34574th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nola surname appeared 654 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 Nola.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nola 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 Nola

The surname NOLA is believed to have originated in Italy, likely in the southern regions such as Campania or Sicily. It is thought to derive from the Italian word "nola," which means "bell" or "chime." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a bell ringer or bell maker.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname NOLA can be traced back to the 13th century in various Italian records and documents. Some historians believe that the name may have been derived from the ancient town of Nola, located near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. This town was known for its production of bells and other metalwork during the Roman era.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname NOLA was Giovanni da Nola, a renowned Renaissance sculptor who lived from around 1478 to 1559. He was born in the town of Nola and became famous for his intricate marble and bronze sculptures, many of which can still be found in churches and museums throughout Italy.

Another notable individual with the surname NOLA was Girolamo Nola, a 16th-century Italian architect and military engineer. He was born in Naples around 1520 and is credited with designing several fortifications and defensive structures throughout the Kingdom of Naples.

In the late 16th century, a family by the name of Nola emigrated from Italy to Spain, where they established themselves in the region of Catalonia. One member of this family, Josep Nola, was a prominent merchant and landowner in Barcelona during the early 17th century.

Moving into the 18th century, there are records of a Francesco Nola, who was a celebrated painter and fresco artist from the town of Nola. He lived from around 1710 to 1785 and his works can still be found adorning various churches and palaces in the Naples area.

Another individual of note was Domenico Nola, a 19th-century Italian composer and music teacher who was born in Naples in 1820. He composed several operas and other works, and served as a music instructor at the Conservatorio di Musica San Pietro a Majella in Naples.

While the surname NOLA is predominantly found in Italy and among Italian diaspora communities, it has also been documented in other parts of Europe and the Americas over the centuries, likely due to migration and intermarriage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nola

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

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

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

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