Explore the Family Name Gavia

The meaning of Gavia

Spanish: nickname from gavia ‘main topsail’, also ‘cage in lunatic asylum’ (from Latin cavea ‘cage’), or a topographic name from the same word meaning also ‘trench, ditch’.

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

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

Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Gavia has seen a slight increase in the United States between 2000 and 2010. Ranked as the 49,563rd most common name in 2000, it shifted upwards to the 45,653rd position by 2010, reflecting a positive change of 7.89 percent. The total count of individuals carrying this surname also rose from 398 in 2000 to 468 in 2010, an increase of 17.59 percent. Consequently, the proportion per 100,000 people with this surname experienced a growth rate of 6.67 percent during this decade.

20002010Change
Rank#49,563#45,6537.89%
Count39846817.59%
Proportion per 100k0.150.166.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gavia

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts among those with the Gavia surname between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the vast majority of those bearing the Gavia surname were of Hispanic ethnicity, making up 83.42 percent of the total. This figure slightly increased to 84.62 percent by 2010. Those identifying as White represented 6.53 percent in 2000, growing to 7.05 percent in 2010. However, the proportion of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent decreased from 7.04 percent to 5.56 percent in the same period. People of Black ethnicity composed 2.01 percent in 2000, which marginally declined to 1.92 percent by 2010. There was no recorded change for those identifying as belonging to two or more races or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities.

20002010Change
Hispanic83.42%84.62%1.44%
White6.53%7.05%7.96%
Asian/Pacific Islander7.04%5.56%-21.02%
Black2.01%1.92%-4.48%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%