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

Snavely, 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 Snavely surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Snavely in America

Snavely is the 9061st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Snavely surname appeared 3,607 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Snavely.

We can also compare 2010 data for Snavely 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 Snavely

The surname Snavely originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the area now known as Switzerland. It likely emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old High German word "snavel," which means "beak" or "snout," possibly referring to someone with a prominent nose or someone who worked with birds or other animals.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Snavely can be found in the Swiss village of Snavely, which dates back to the 15th century. It is likely that the name originated from this location, and early bearers of the name may have been residents or landowners in the area. The name's spelling has evolved over time, with variations such as Schnäveli, Schnävely, and Schnäveli appearing in historical records.

In the 16th century, a man named Hans Snavely (1520-1588) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the Swiss canton of Bern. He was known for his successful trading ventures and philanthropic efforts in the region. Another notable figure was Jakob Snavely (1675-1742), a Swiss clockmaker renowned for his intricate and precise timepieces, which were highly sought after by European nobility.

As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way to other German-speaking regions, including parts of present-day Germany and Austria. In the 18th century, a family by the name of Snavely settled in the Palatinate region of Germany, where they were influential landowners and farmers. One of their descendants, Johann Snavely (1745-1820), immigrated to the British colonies in North America in the late 1700s, becoming one of the earliest bearers of the name in the New World.

In the 19th century, a notable figure with the surname Snavely was Wilhelm Snavely (1810-1892), a German philosopher and academic who taught at several prestigious universities in Germany and Switzerland. His writings on ethics and morality were widely respected in academic circles of the time.

Another prominent individual with the surname Snavely was Elisabeth Snavely (1865-1947), a Swiss-born painter and artist who gained recognition for her vibrant landscapes and portraiture. Her works were exhibited in galleries across Europe and are now part of several notable collections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Snavely

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

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

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

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