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

Viola, 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 Viola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Viola in America

Viola is the 5271st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Viola surname appeared 6,616 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 Viola.

We can also compare 2010 data for Viola 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 Viola

The surname VIOLA has its origins in Italy, where it first appeared as an Italian toponymic name derived from places named Viola or Violia. These place names come from the Italian word "viola," which means "violet" and refers to the violet flower. The name likely originated in areas where violets were commonly cultivated or grew in abundance.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname VIOLA can be traced back to the late 12th century in various regions of Italy, particularly in the northern areas around Milan and the central regions near Rome. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Riccardo Viola, a landowner from the town of Casalecchio di Reno, near Bologna, who was mentioned in records dating back to 1215.

In the 14th century, the surname VIOLA appeared in several historical records, including the Libro d'Oro della Nobiltà Veneziana, a book that documented the noble families of Venice. A notable figure from this period was Giovanni Viola, a merchant and diplomat from Venice, who was born around 1320 and served as an ambassador to the court of the Byzantine Empire.

During the Renaissance period, the VIOLA surname gained prominence in various parts of Italy. One notable figure was Antonio Viola, a renowned architect and sculptor from Naples, who lived from 1460 to 1528. He is best known for his contributions to the design and construction of the Certosa di San Martino, a beautiful Carthusian monastery in Naples.

In the 17th century, the VIOLA surname was found in several regions of Italy, including Sicily, where it was associated with the noble families of Palermo. One notable bearer of the name was Giuseppe Viola, born in 1676, who was a renowned painter and a member of the prestigious Accademia di San Luca in Rome.

Another notable figure with the VIOLA surname was Carlo Viola, an Italian composer and violinist who lived from 1692 to 1770. He was born in Avellino, near Naples, and is known for his compositions for violin, which were highly regarded in his time.

As the surname VIOLA spread throughout Italy and beyond, it became associated with various professions and achievements. While the name has its roots in the Italian language and culture, it has since been adopted by people of diverse backgrounds and nationalities, making it a truly international surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Viola

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

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

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

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