Explore the Family Name Cala
The meaning of Cala
1. Spanish (Andalusia) and Italian (Sicily): habitational name from any of numerous minor places in eastern (especially southeastern) Spain (Seville), and one in Sicily, called Cala, from a proto-Romance word cala ‘bay, cove’. 2. Italian (southern): nickname from Greek kalos ‘good, beautiful’. 3. Czech (Čála): from a shortened form of an unidentified Old Czech personal name beginning with Ča-. 4. Albanian (Çala): nickname derived from a short form of çalaman ‘cripple, lame man’ or from the adjective çalë ‘cripple, lame’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Avelino, Inocencia, Jose, Adriana, Carlos, Carmella, Dionisio, Epifanio, Estanislao, Eudaldo, Francisca, Jesus. Italian Antonio, Luigi, Salvatore, Angelo, Santo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Cala in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Cala has grown in popularity over the last decade. In 2000, it was ranked 25,775th most popular, and by 2010, it had climbed to 24,685th, marking a 4.23 percent change. The number of people with this surname also increased from 897 in 2000 to 1,011 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of 12.71 percent. Furthermore, for every 100,000 people, the proportion bearing the surname Cala rose slightly from 0.33 to 0.34 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,775 | #24,685 | 4.23% |
| Count | 897 | 1,011 | 12.71% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.33 | 0.34 | 3.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cala
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Cala has shifted somewhat between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the largest ethnic group identified as White at 63.77 percent, but this decreased to 54.50 percent by 2010. The second-largest ethnic group, Hispanics, saw substantial growth, increasing from 25.42 percent to 35.31 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander remained relatively stable at around 9 percent. The proportion of those identifying as Black decreased from 1 percent to 0.69 percent, while those reporting two or more races dropped to zero in 2010 from 0.78 in 2000. There were no individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 63.77% | 54.5% | -14.54% |
| Hispanic | 25.42% | 35.31% | 38.91% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 9.03% | 9% | -0.33% |
| Black | 1% | 0.69% | -31% |
| Two or More Races | 0.78% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |