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

Virginia, 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 Virginia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Virginia in America

Virginia is the 49365th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Virginia surname appeared 426 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 Virginia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Virginia 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 Virginia

The surname Virginia has its origins in the Latin word "virgo" meaning "virgin" or "maiden". It is likely that the name was initially bestowed upon someone born in a place associated with the Virgin Mary or a virgin saint. Alternatively, it may have been a nickname given to someone known for their chastity or unmarried status.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Virginia can be traced back to medieval Italy, where it was a common name among noble families in regions like Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. One of the earliest documented bearers of the name was Guglielmo Virginia, a nobleman from Florence who lived in the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Virginia surname appeared in various Italian documents, such as tax records and legal contracts. One notable example is Bartolomeo Virginia, a merchant from Siena who was involved in trade with the Republic of Venice in the 1380s.

As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and regional variations. In France, it was sometimes written as "Virginie", while in Spain, it was often rendered as "Virjinia" or "Virxinia".

The Virginia surname gained particular prominence in England during the 17th century, when the colony of Virginia was established in North America. Some early settlers in the colony bore the surname, including John Virginia, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Virginia. One of the most famous was Alessandro Virginia, an Italian painter and architect from Rome who lived from 1590 to 1656. His works can be found in various churches and palaces across Italy.

Another notable Virginia was Girolamo Virginia, an Italian composer and organist who lived from 1680 to 1745. He was known for his sacred music compositions and served as the organist at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

In the 19th century, Guglielmo Virginia was an Italian politician and patriot who played a significant role in the Italian unification movement. He lived from 1810 to 1892 and served as a member of the Italian Parliament.

The surname Virginia also appears in literary works, such as the novel "The Virginian" by Owen Wister, published in 1902. The book's protagonist, known only as "The Virginian", is believed to have been inspired by a real-life figure from Wyoming, although their actual surname is unknown.

In more recent times, notable bearers of the surname Virginia include Ettore Virginia, an Italian film director and screenwriter born in 1945, and Maria Virginia, an Argentine actress and singer born in 1965.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Virginia

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

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

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

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