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

Virella, 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 Virella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virella in America

Virella is the 30767th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virella surname appeared 757 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 Virella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Virella 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 Virella

The surname Virella is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal, sometime around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "virella," which means "small green branch" or "twig." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near or worked with greenery, such as a gardener or farmer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Virella name can be found in the Catalonian region of Spain, where it was documented in various municipal records and archives dating back to the late 13th century. The name was also present in several Portuguese records from the same time period, indicating its widespread use across the Iberian region.

During the 15th century, the Virella surname gained prominence in the Kingdom of Aragon, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Jaume Virella, a renowned architect and master builder who was responsible for the construction of several significant structures, including the Church of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona, which was completed in 1383.

In the 16th century, the Virella name appeared in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where a man named Pedro Virella was mentioned as being accused of heresy. While the outcome of his case is unclear, this reference highlights the presence of the surname during this turbulent period in Spanish history.

As the centuries passed, the Virella name continued to spread throughout Europe and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname leaving their mark in various fields. One notable example is Maria Virella, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived from 1870 to 1957 and was known for her powerful and expressive works of art.

Another prominent figure was Francisco Virella, a Spanish military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Havana, Cuba, in the late 18th century. His tenure was marked by significant reforms and improvements to the city's infrastructure and defenses.

In more recent times, the Virella name has been associated with various accomplished individuals, such as José Virella, a renowned Venezuelan poet and writer who lived from 1912 to 1994 and was celebrated for his contributions to the literary world.

While the Virella surname may have its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals who have made their mark in diverse fields and left a lasting legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virella

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!