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

Savalza, 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 Savalza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Savalza in America

Savalza is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Savalza surname appeared 128 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 Savalza.

The history of the last name Savalza

The surname Savalza has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, with the earliest known recordings dating back to the 13th century. Linguists believe the name is derived from the Basque words "sabel" meaning belly or womb, and "za" which is a diminutive suffix. This suggests the name may have originated as a nickname or description relating to a person's physical appearance or stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Savalza name appears in the Codex de Roda, a 12th century cartulary from the Monastery of Santa María de Roda in Aragon, Spain. This manuscript mentions a landowner named Petrus de Savalza in a document dated 1237. The name is also found in several other medieval Aragonese charters and records from the 13th and 14th centuries, often spelled as Saualza or Saualtza.

In the 15th century, the Savalza name began appearing in records from the neighboring region of Navarre, suggesting the family had spread beyond its original Aragonese base. A notable figure from this period was Juan de Savalza, a merchant and landowner in the town of Tudela, who is mentioned in municipal records from 1472.

As the centuries passed, variations of the Savalza name emerged in different regions, such as Sabalza in parts of Navarre and the Basque Country, and Sabalce in Catalonia. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the town of Salvatierra, adopting the spelling Sabalcega or Sabalzega.

One of the most prominent individuals to bear the Savalza name was Pedro de Savalza y Arce, a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as Governor of Chile from 1623 to 1629. He played a significant role in the Arauco War against the Mapuche people and founded several settlements in the Chilean territory.

Another noteworthy figure was Martín de Savalza, a 17th century Basque priest and writer who authored several religious works, including a treatise on the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola published in 1630. His writings provide valuable insights into the culture and beliefs of the Basque people during that era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Savalza

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

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 Savalza 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.

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

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

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