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

Padula, 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 Padula surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Padula in America

Padula is the 11675th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Padula surname appeared 2,685 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Padula.

We can also compare 2010 data for Padula 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 Padula

The surname Padula originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Campania. It is believed to have derived from the town of Padula, located in the province of Salerno. The town's name itself is thought to come from the Latin word "palus," meaning "marsh" or "swamp," suggesting that the area may have been marshy in ancient times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Padula can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery of Cava dei Tirreni, dating back to the 11th century. This indicates that the name was already in use during that period in the region surrounding the town of Padula.

In the 13th century, a nobleman named Guglielmo Padula was mentioned in several documents related to the Kingdom of Naples. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Charles I of Anjou and held significant land holdings in the area.

During the Renaissance period, the Padula family gained further prominence. In the 15th century, Antonio Padula was a renowned architect who designed several churches and palaces in Naples and its surrounding areas, including the beautiful cloister of the Certosa di San Martino.

In the 18th century, a Neapolitan poet and playwright named Gennaro Padula gained recognition for his works, which often drew inspiration from the rural life and traditions of his homeland.

The 19th century saw the birth of Vincenzo Padula, a notable painter and sculptor from the town of Padula. His works were exhibited in various galleries across Italy and received critical acclaim.

It is worth noting that the town of Padula itself has a rich history. It is home to the Certosa di San Lorenzo, a magnificent Carthusian monastery founded in the 14th century and considered one of the finest examples of Italian Gothic architecture.

While the surname Padula has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and various historical events. However, the earliest recorded instances and most significant historical figures bearing this surname can be traced back to the Italian region of Campania, where the town of Padula has played a pivotal role in the origin and evolution of this family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Padula

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

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

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

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