Explore the Family Name Savela

The meaning of Savela

Finnish: habitational name from farms so named, from savi ‘clay’ + the locative suffix -la. Established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century in southern and central Finland and Ostrobothnia. Some characteristic forenames: Finnish Eino, Kaarlo, Mikko, Timo, Toivo.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Savela experienced a decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 59,611 in popularity and dropped to a rank of 67,519 in 2010, reflecting a 13.27% decrease. The count of individuals with this surname also fell by 7.89%, from 317 in 2000 to 292 in 2010. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with the surname Savela per 100,000 decreased by 16.67%, moving from 0.12 in 2000 to 0.1 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#59,611#67,519-13.27%
Count317292-7.89%
Proportion per 100k0.120.1-16.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Savela

The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides an insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Savela. In 2000, 92.11% of those with this surname identified as White, which declined to 88.36% in 2010. The Hispanic population with this surname showed an increase, going from 6.62% in 2000 to 9.25% in 2010 — a rise of 39.73%. However, there were no recorded changes in the populations identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native.

20002010Change
White92.11%88.36%-4.07%
Hispanic6.62%9.25%39.73%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%