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

Valenta, 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 Valenta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valenta in America

Valenta is the 16219th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valenta surname appeared 1,780 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 Valenta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valenta 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 Valenta

The surname Valenta is of Czech origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 15th century in the region of Bohemia, which is now part of the modern-day Czech Republic. The name is derived from the Czech word "valenta," which means "a wanderer" or "a traveler."

In the medieval era, the name Valenta was likely associated with individuals who had a nomadic lifestyle or those who frequently traveled for trade or other purposes. The earliest known records of the name can be found in various historical documents from Bohemia, such as parish registers and tax records from the 15th and 16th centuries.

One notable early reference to the name Valenta comes from the Codex Gigas, also known as the Devil's Bible, which is a massive 13th-century manuscript created in the Benedictine monastery of Podlažice in Bohemia. Although the manuscript itself does not mention the name directly, it was likely in use during the time of its creation.

Over the centuries, the name Valenta has experienced various spelling variations, including Vallenta, Wallenta, and Valente. Some of these variations can be attributed to regional dialects or the influence of other languages, such as German or Latin, in the areas where the name was prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Valenta was Jan Valenta, a prominent Czech scholar and humanist who lived in the 15th century. Another notable figure was Karel Valenta (1546-1614), a Czech Protestant theologian and educator who played a significant role in the Bohemian Reformation.

In the 18th century, Václav Valenta (1735-1805) was a renowned Czech musician and composer who worked as the court composer for Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski in Poland. Valenta's compositions were highly regarded during his time and contributed to the development of Czech classical music.

Another individual of note was Vincenc Valenta (1790-1858), a Czech painter and lithographer who was known for his landscapes and portraits. His works were widely acclaimed and can be found in various art collections across Europe.

In the 19th century, Edvard Valenta (1857-1918) was a Czech mathematician and educator who made significant contributions to the field of mathematics education. He authored several influential textbooks and worked as a professor at Charles University in Prague.

While the surname Valenta originated in the Czech lands, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly due to emigration. However, its earliest recorded instances and historical significance can be traced back to its roots in Bohemia, where it emerged as a distinctive surname with a rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valenta

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

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

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

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