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

Silvas, 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 Silvas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Silvas in America

Silvas is the 6798th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Silvas surname appeared 4,963 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Silvas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Silvas 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 Silvas

The surname Silvas originated in Portugal and Spain, with its roots dating back to the Medieval era. It is derived from the Latin word "silva," meaning "forest" or "woodland." The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various historical records and documents from the Iberian Peninsula.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Silvas surname was Rui Gomes da Silva, a prominent Portuguese nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He served as a military commander and accompanied King Afonso IV during the Siege of Gibraltar in 1349. The da Silva family rose to prominence during this period and became one of the most influential noble houses in Portugal.

In Spain, the Silvas surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Galicia and Asturias, where it was often associated with families involved in forestry or living in forested areas. The surname is also found in various historical records from the Kingdom of Castile and other Spanish territories.

During the 15th century, the Silvas surname gained further recognition with the exploits of Nuno Fernandes da Silva, a Portuguese explorer and navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498. Fernandes da Silva played a crucial role in establishing trade routes and settlements in the Indian Ocean region.

Another notable figure with the Silvas surname was Diego de Silva y Mendoza, a Spanish diplomat and writer who lived from 1564 to 1630. He served as the ambassador to Venice and is best known for his satirical novel "Lazarillo de Tormes," which is considered one of the earliest examples of the picaresque literary genre.

In the 18th century, José Joaquín de Silva y Sarmiento, a Spanish military officer and diplomat, made significant contributions to the field of architecture. He is renowned for his work on the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and other notable buildings in Spain.

The Silvas surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout the Iberian Peninsula, such as Silva Escura in Portugal and Silva de Abajo in Spain, further reinforcing its connection to forested areas and woodlands.

Throughout history, the Silvas surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including nobility, military leaders, explorers, writers, and architects, reflecting the rich heritage and cultural significance of this surname in Portugal and Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Silvas

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

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

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

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