2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Saieva
A locational surname likely of Italian origin referring to someone from Saieva.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Saieva. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Saieva 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Saieva in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Saieva, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Saieva
The surname "SAIEVA" is of Italian origin, with its roots tracing back to the region of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, potentially derived from the Latin word "saevus," which translates to "wild" or "fierce." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals with a bold or fierce demeanor.
In the early 15th century, records indicate the presence of the Saieva family in the town of Palermo, located on the northwestern coast of Sicily. This area was once under the influence of various ruling powers, including the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans, all of whom left their cultural imprints on the region's naming traditions.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the Saieva surname can be found in the archives of the Benedictine monastery of San Martino delle Scale, located in the Sicilian province of Palermo. These records, dating back to the late 15th century, contain references to individuals bearing the Saieva name, although their specific roles or occupations are not clearly specified.
During the 16th century, the Saieva family gained prominence in the town of Monreale, situated in the outskirts of Palermo. Historical records from this period mention notable individuals such as Giovanni Saieva (1525-1591), a respected scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on ecclesiastical law.
As the centuries passed, the Saieva name continued to spread throughout various regions of Italy, with some members of the family establishing themselves in other parts of the country. One notable figure was Giacomo Saieva (1678-1744), a renowned architect from Naples who was commissioned to design several significant buildings, including churches and palaces.
In the 19th century, the Saieva name gained recognition beyond the borders of Italy. Luciano Saieva (1820-1892), a skilled artisan from Palermo, emigrated to France and established a successful business crafting intricate stained glass windows for churches and cathedrals throughout Europe.
Another prominent individual bearing the Saieva surname was Antonio Saieva (1879-1946), a renowned painter hailing from the town of Catania in eastern Sicily. His works, which often depicted scenes from Sicilian rural life, gained international acclaim and can be found in various art galleries and museums around the world.
While the Saieva surname may not be as widely recognized as some other Italian names, its historical roots and the achievements of its bearers throughout the centuries have left an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of Italy and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Saieva
Among Census respondents with the surname Saieva, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Saieva 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 Saieva surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Saieva
Saieva 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+7 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,401 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 192 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 2,401 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Up 192 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 Saieva 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 | #145,220 | #145,028 | 0.1% |
| Count | 114 | 116 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Saieva bearers went from 114 to 116 (+1.8% change). The surname moved up 192 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #145,028.
FAQ
Saieva surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Saieva?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Saieva. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Saieva?
Saieva ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 116 people with the surname Saieva. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Saieva.
Has Saieva become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Saieva went from 114 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 2 (+1.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #145,220 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Saieva?
Among Census respondents with the surname Saieva, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Saieva in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Saieva appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Saieva (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 Saieva mean?
A locational surname likely of Italian origin referring to someone from Saieva. 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 Saieva (0.04 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 Saieva?
See how many people have the surname Saieva on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.