Explore the Family Name Cela

The meaning of Cela

1. Albanian (Çela): from Çelë (definite form Çela), an old personal name or nickname (for a brother-in-law) shortened from Turkish çelebi, a title of royal princes, dervish saints, and educated men which also used to denote a ‘brother-in-law’. This is one of the most common surnames in Albania. 2. Spanish and Portuguese: habitational name from any of numerous places called Cela, from Latin cella ‘little room’, especially in the sense of ‘sanctuary’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Cela in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Cela has significantly increased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 63,297th and by 2010, it jumped to 35,345th, reflecting an impressive 44.16% change in the ranking. The number of individuals bearing this surname also saw a remarkable increase from 295 persons in 2000 to 637 in 2010, denoting a 115.93% growth. Proportionally, for every 100,000 people, the frequency of the surname rose by 100%, from 0.11 in 2000 to 0.22 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#63,297#35,34544.16%
Count295637115.93%
Proportion per 100k0.110.22100%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Cela

When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Cela, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of White individuals with this surname grew by 13.28%, rising from 60.00% in 2000 to 67.97% in 2010. On the other hand, the proportion of Hispanics with the surname decreased slightly by 4.98%, settling at 24.80% in 2010. The representation of the Black community among those with this surname also dropped by 27.74%, down to 6.12% in 2010. There was a dramatic decline in the percentage of those identifying with two or more races, dropping by 80.21% to just 0.94%. The census data does not record any Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals with this surname for either year.

20002010Change
White60%67.97%13.28%
Hispanic26.1%24.8%-4.98%
Black8.47%6.12%-27.74%
Two or More Races4.75%0.94%-80.21%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%