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

Silvia, 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 Silvia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Silvia in America

Silvia is the 6206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Silvia surname appeared 5,511 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 Silvia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Silvia 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 Silvia

The surname Silvia has its origins in Italy, where it first appeared in the late medieval period. It is derived from the Latin name Silvius, which itself is derived from the Latin word "silva" meaning "forest" or "woods". The earliest recorded use of the name Silvia as a surname dates back to the 13th century in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria.

In the early Renaissance period, the name Silvia was closely associated with the legendary Silvius, the son of Aeneas and founder of the line of kings of Alba Longa. This connection to ancient Roman legend and mythology contributed to the prestige and popularity of the name among Italian noble families.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Silvia surname was Guido Silvia, a prominent merchant and banker from Florence who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Bartolomeo Silvia, a renowned painter from Perugia who flourished in the early 16th century and was known for his frescoes in the Duomo of Orvieto.

In the 17th century, the Silvia family played a significant role in the history of the Papal States. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Silvia, born in 1591, was a prominent diplomat and advisor to several popes. His nephew, Fabio Silvia, was a renowned architect who designed several churches and palaces in Rome.

Another notable figure was Antonio Silvia, a philosopher and theologian from Naples, who lived from 1645 to 1717 and wrote extensively on metaphysics and natural philosophy.

The name Silvia was also associated with various place names in Italy, such as the town of Selvena in the province of Perugia, which was once known as Silvia or Silva.

Throughout its history, the surname Silvia has been borne by numerous individuals of note, including writers, artists, politicians, and scholars, cementing its place in the rich tapestry of Italian cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Silvia

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

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

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

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