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

Vadala, 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 Vadala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vadala in America

Vadala is the 34353rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vadala surname appeared 660 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 Vadala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vadala 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 Vadala

The surname Vadala has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern region of Sicily. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "vadali," which means "wadis" or "gullies," referring to the dry riverbeds commonly found in the arid Mediterranean climate of Sicily.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Vadala surname dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various municipal records and documents from the town of Sciacca, a coastal city in the province of Agrigento, Sicily. The name was also found in the nearby towns of Menfi and Ribera, suggesting that the Vadala family had established roots in this particular area of western Sicily.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Vadala surname was Pietro Vadala, a renowned scholar and physician who lived in Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Born around 1440, Pietro Vadala authored several treatises on medicine and was highly regarded for his expertise in the field.

Another prominent individual with the Vadala surname was Vincenzo Vadala, a Sicilian artist and painter who lived during the 17th century. Vincenzo was born in Sciacca in 1610 and gained recognition for his religious paintings and frescoes adorning churches throughout Sicily.

In the 19th century, the Vadala name gained prominence with Giuseppe Vadala, a celebrated Sicilian composer and musician. Born in Palermo in 1820, Giuseppe Vadala composed numerous operas, chamber works, and orchestral pieces, contributing significantly to the cultural landscape of his time.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several members of the Vadala family immigrated to the United States, particularly to the New York City area. One notable figure was Antonio Vadala, born in 1890 in Sciacca, Sicily, who became a successful businessman and community leader in the Italian-American community of Brooklyn.

While the Vadala surname has its roots in Sicily, it has since spread to other parts of Italy and across the world, carried by individuals and families who have migrated from their ancestral homeland over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vadala

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

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

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

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