2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pavela
Slavic surname derived from the word "pávek" meaning "peacock".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Pavela. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pavela 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Pavela in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pavela, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pavela
The surname Pavela has its origins in the Slavic countries of Eastern Europe, particularly in the region of Croatia. The name is believed to have emerged sometime during the Middle Ages, likely derived from the Croatian word "pav" which means "peacock." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who either kept peacocks or were involved in some way with these colorful birds.
One of the earliest recorded references to the Pavela surname can be found in a 15th-century document from the city of Dubrovnik, where a merchant named Ivan Pavela is mentioned as conducting trade with neighboring Italian cities. This provides evidence that the name was already well-established in the area by that time.
In the 16th century, the name appears in church records from the town of Konavle, near Dubrovnik, where several families with the Pavela surname are listed as residents. This suggests that the name had spread from its initial origins and was now present in various parts of the Croatian coast.
During the 17th century, a notable figure named Mihovil Pavela (1619-1687) gained recognition as a respected historian and writer. His works, which documented the history and culture of the Dubrovnik region, have become valuable sources for scholars studying that period.
In the late 18th century, a man named Nikola Pavela (1755-1832) rose to prominence as a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Ston. His wealth and influence allowed him to play a significant role in local politics and decision-making.
Another individual of note was Luka Pavela (1834-1912), a prominent lawyer and politician from the city of Split. He served as a member of the Croatian Parliament and was known for his advocacy of Croatian national interests during a time of political upheaval in the region.
As the Pavela surname spread beyond Croatia, it can also be found in other parts of the Balkans and Central Europe, often with slight variations in spelling, such as Pavella or Pavlić. However, the Croatian origins of the name remain firmly rooted in its etymology and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pavela
Among Census respondents with the surname Pavela, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Pavela 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 Pavela surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.2% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino12.9% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.0% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pavela
Pavela 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-9 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 19,418 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,964 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -9 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 19,418 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 1,964 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 Pavela 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 | #157,234 | #155,270 | 1.2% |
| Count | 103 | 101 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pavela bearers went from 103 to 101 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 1,964 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #155,270.
FAQ
Pavela surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pavela?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Pavela. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Pavela?
Pavela ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Pavela. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Pavela.
Has Pavela become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pavela went from 103 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Pavela?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pavela, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%). 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 Pavela in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.2% (83 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pavela appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.2%), Hispanic (12.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%). 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 Pavela (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 Pavela mean?
Slavic surname derived from the word "pávek" meaning "peacock". 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 Pavela (0.03 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 common is the surname Pavela?
Want to know how common the surname Pavela is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.