Severa last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Severa

A surname derived from the Spanish word "severo" meaning strict or severe.

Severa, 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 Severa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Severa in America

Severa is the 42030th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Severa surname appeared 517 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 Severa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Severa 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 42030 38992 7.50%
Count 517 532 -2.86%
Proportion per 100k 0.18 0.20 -10.53%

The history of the last name Severa

The surname Severa is believed to have originated in Italy, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Latin word "severus," which means "severe" or "strict." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname or a descriptive nickname, referring to someone with a stern or serious demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Severa can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the Cava de' Tirreni region in southern Italy. This codex, dating back to the 11th century, mentions individuals with the surname Severa, indicating its presence in the area during that time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Severa was Guglielmo Severa, a prominent jurist and legal scholar from the town of Pisa. His contributions to the field of law and his scholarly works have been referenced in various legal texts from that period.

During the Renaissance, the name Severa gained further recognition through the works of the Italian artist and architect Giacomo Severa da Ravenna, who lived from approximately 1480 to 1550. He was known for his architectural designs and his contributions to the development of Renaissance art in the city of Ravenna.

Another individual of note was Girolamo Severa, a 16th-century Italian mathematician and astronomer. Born in Naples in 1520, he made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and authored several treatises on astronomical observations and calculations.

In the 18th century, the name Severa was associated with the Italian composer and musician Giovanni Battista Severa, who lived from 1704 to 1772. He gained recognition for his compositions for the church and his work as a music teacher in Naples.

While the surname Severa has its roots in Italy, it has also spread to other regions over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. For instance, in Spain, the surname is sometimes spelled as "Severa," while in other parts of Europe, it may appear as "Severa" or "Severa."

Ultimately, the surname Severa carries a rich history, reflecting its Italian origins and the notable individuals who have borne this name throughout the centuries. Its connection to the Latin word "severus" and its early associations with occupations and personal traits have contributed to its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Severa

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

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 Severa was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 88.39% 457
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.16% 6
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.93% 10
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.16% 6
Hispanic Origin 7.35% 38

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 Severa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 88.39% 85.34% 3.51%
Black 1.16% 0.94% 20.95%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.93% 1.88% 2.62%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.16% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 7.35% 10.90% -38.90%

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Severa, 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!

"Severa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 20, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/severa-surname-popularity/.

"Severa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/severa-surname-popularity/. Accessed 20 May, 2025

Severa last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/severa-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.