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

Raia, 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 Raia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raia in America

Raia is the 17927th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raia surname appeared 1,559 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 Raia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raia 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 Raia

The surname RAIA is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in central and southern regions of the Italian peninsula. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "radius," meaning "ray" or "beam of light," which may have been initially used as a nickname for someone with a radiant or bright appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RAIA surname can be found in historical documents from the 13th century in the city of Naples, where a family bearing this name was prominent among the local nobility. The name also appears in records from the same era in the regions of Abruzzo and Lazio.

During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the RAIA surname. One such figure was Giovanni Battista Raia (1532-1602), a renowned architect and sculptor from Naples who was renowned for his work on numerous churches and palaces throughout Italy.

Another prominent bearer of the RAIA name was Gaspare Raia (1618-1694), a Neapolitan painter who specialized in religious and mythological scenes. His works can be found in various churches and galleries across southern Italy.

In the 18th century, the RAIA surname gained further recognition with the birth of Giuseppe Raia (1732-1798), a Italian philosopher and writer who was known for his contributions to the Enlightenment movement. His influential works explored topics such as ethics, politics, and the nature of human knowledge.

Moving into the 19th century, the name was carried by Vincenzo Raia (1823-1892), a respected lawyer and politician from Campania who served as a member of the Italian parliament during the early years of the unified Italian state.

As the name spread across Italy and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, including Raya, Raia, and Raia. These variations can be found in historical records from various regions of Italy, as well as in other parts of Europe where Italian immigrants settled.

While the RAIA surname may not have the same widespread recognition as some other Italian family names, its history is deeply rooted in the cultural and intellectual traditions of the Italian peninsula, with notable bearers leaving their mark in fields ranging from art and architecture to philosophy and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raia

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

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

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

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