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

Pela, 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 Pela surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pela in America

Pela is the 96368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pela surname appeared 189 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 Pela.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pela 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 Pela

The surname PELA is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Tuscany, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "pelare," which means "to peel" or "to strip." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in occupations related to agriculture, such as fruit or vegetable peeling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PELA surname can be found in the Florentine Priorista, a historical document from the 14th century that lists the names of individuals who served as priors (administrative officials) in the Florentine Republic. The name appears as "Pela" in this document, indicating a slightly different spelling from the modern form.

During the Renaissance period, the PELA surname gained some prominence in Italy, particularly in the city of Florence. In the 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni di Pier Pela (1430-1508) was a renowned painter and sculptor who contributed to the artistic legacy of the Italian Renaissance. His works can be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy.

In the 16th century, another individual named Antonio Pela (1540-1612) was a prominent scholar and philosopher from Bologna, Italy. He was known for his extensive writings on metaphysics and natural philosophy, which influenced the intellectual discourse of his time.

Moving forward to the 17th century, the PELA surname can be found in historical records from the Republic of Venice. One notable figure was Marco Pela (1625-1689), a Venetian merchant and trader who played a significant role in the city's maritime commerce with the Eastern Mediterranean regions.

In the 19th century, the PELA surname gained recognition beyond Italy. Enrico Pela (1828-1892) was an Italian-born military officer who served in the Mexican Army during the Franco-Mexican War. He was recognized for his bravery and strategic leadership on the battlefield.

While the surname PELA is not among the most common surnames in Italy or globally, it has a rich historical legacy spanning several centuries. The name's origins and its connection to occupations related to agriculture and produce provide a glimpse into the lives of those who bore this surname in the past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pela

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!