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

Santella, 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 Santella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Santella in America

Santella is the 28437th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Santella surname appeared 839 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 Santella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Santella 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 Santella

The surname Santella is of Italian origin, originating in the southern regions of the country during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "sanctella," which means "small saint" or "little holy one."

One of the earliest known references to the name Santella can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in Campania, Italy, dating back to the 11th century. In these records, the name appears as "Sanctella" and is associated with individuals from the region.

The Santella surname is believed to have originated as a nickname or a descriptive name, possibly given to someone who was particularly devout or had a connection to a local saint or religious figure. It may also have been used to refer to someone who lived near a church or a place dedicated to a saint.

In the 13th century, records from the city of Naples mention a nobleman named Goffredo Santella, who was involved in local politics and held important positions within the city's government. This early reference suggests that the Santella name had already established itself among the upper classes of southern Italy by that time.

Another notable figure bearing the Santella surname was Pietro Santella, a 15th-century Italian painter from Naples. His works can be found in various churches and museums across southern Italy, most notably the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore in Naples, where his frescoes adorn the walls.

In the 16th century, a prominent Neapolitan family known as the Santella di Montecorvino held significant influence and wealth in the region. Their ancestral home, the Palazzo Santella, still stands in the city of Naples and is considered a fine example of Renaissance architecture.

Girolamo Santella (1599-1677) was a notable Neapolitan philosopher and writer during the Baroque period. He wrote extensively on metaphysics and logic, and his works were widely read and influential in his time.

Another noteworthy individual with the Santella surname was Quintilio Santella (1801-1868), an Italian painter and sculptor from Naples. He is particularly known for his religious artworks, which can be found in various churches throughout Italy.

While the Santella surname has its roots in southern Italy, it has since spread to other regions and countries due to migration and intermarriage. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the medieval and Renaissance periods of Italian history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Santella

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

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

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

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