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

Virga, 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 Virga surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virga in America

Virga is the 26932nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virga surname appeared 901 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 Virga.

We can also compare 2010 data for Virga 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 Virga

The surname Virga has its origins in Italy, with records dating back to the medieval period, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. The name is derived from the Latin word "virga," meaning "rod" or "branch," which could indicate an association with occupations related to woodworking or forestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Virga can be found in the Florentine Priorista, a historical record of the Priori (rulers) of Florence, dating back to the 13th century. The document mentions a Guido Virga, who served as a Prior in 1258.

The Virga surname also appears in several Renaissance-era manuscripts and records, such as the Libro della Plebe, a census of Florentine citizens from the late 15th century. Notable individuals with the Virga surname during this period include Girolamo Virga, a renowned jurist and legal scholar from Bologna, who lived from 1499 to 1577.

During the 16th century, the Virga family established itself in the region of Emilia-Romagna, particularly in the city of Parma. One of the most prominent members of this family was Alessandro Virga, a celebrated architect and engineer who was responsible for designing several notable structures in Parma, including the Church of San Paolo, completed in 1583.

In the 17th century, the Virga name gained further recognition through the exploits of Giovanni Battista Virga, a skilled military engineer and architect who served under the Duke of Savoy. He was instrumental in fortifying several cities and designing defensive structures throughout northern Italy, including the Citadel of Turin, completed in 1673.

Another notable figure with the Virga surname was Pietro Virga, a renowned painter and sculptor from Bologna, who lived from 1654 to 1730. His works, which included religious paintings and sculpture, can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.

As the Virga family dispersed throughout Italy over the centuries, the name took on various regional spellings and variations, such as Vergai, Verga, and Varga. However, the core meaning and historical significance of the name remained rooted in its Italian origins and association with craftsmanship, engineering, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virga

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

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

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

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