NameCensus.

UK surname

Cavanna

An Italian surname derived from place names containing the word "cava" meaning cave or quarry.

In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Cavanna surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #28,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Torbay and Sutton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cavanna is 111 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 160.0%.

1881 census count

40

Ranked #28,011

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1998

111 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cavanna had 40 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 60 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Cavanna surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cavanna surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cavanna surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cavanna over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 13 #30,970
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 40 #28,011
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 60 #27,502
1911 historical 41 #28,802
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

Back to top

Where Cavannas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Torbay, Sutton and Tendring. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 018 Caerphilly
2 Torbay 019 Torbay
3 Sutton 011 Sutton
4 Tendring 006 Tendring
5 Torbay 003 Torbay

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cavanna

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cavanna surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cavanna

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cavanna, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Cavanna surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Cavanna household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Cavanna is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cavanna is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cavanna falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cavanna is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cavanna, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cavanna

The surname Cavanna originates from Italy, more specifically from the Piedmont region in the northwest. It likely emerged in the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Latin word "cavanna," meaning a small hut or shelter, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in a modest dwelling or worked as shepherds or farmers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cavanna name can be found in the Codex Astensis, a cartulary compiled in the late 12th century by the cathedral chapter of Asti, a city in Piedmont. The document mentions a certain "Iohannes Cavanna" who lived in the area during that time.

In the 13th century, a branch of the Cavanna family settled in the town of Monforte d'Alba, located in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. Historical records from that period, such as the Libro dei Conti del Comune di Monforte d'Alba (Book of Accounts of the Municipality of Monforte d'Alba), reference several individuals with the surname Cavanna, indicating their presence and influence in the local community.

One notable figure from the Cavanna family was Pietro Cavanna (c. 1450-1520), a renowned architect and sculptor who worked on various churches and palaces in the Piedmont region, including the Basilica of San Gaudenzio in Novara.

Another prominent individual was Giovanni Battista Cavanna (1620-1678), a Baroque painter born in Tenda, a town near the French-Italian border. He is known for his religious works, many of which can be found in churches throughout Piedmont and Liguria.

In the 19th century, a branch of the Cavanna family emigrated to South America, particularly to Argentina and Brazil. Among the most famous members of this lineage was José Manuel Cavanna (1842-1914), an Argentinian politician and lawyer who served as a senator and played a significant role in the codification of civil law in his country.

Other notable Cavannas include Emilio Cavanna (1864-1925), an Italian painter and sculptor known for his works depicting scenes from rural life in Piedmont, and Edoardo Cavanna (1905-1993), an Italian naval officer and politician who served as a senator in the Italian Republic after World War II.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cavanna families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cavanna surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 19 Cavannas recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.87x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19 4.87x
Surrey 8 4.21x
Lancashire 6 1.30x
Argyllshire 4 36.83x
Durham 1 0.86x
Midlothian 1 1.91x
Westmorland 1 11.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrew Holborn London in Middlesex leads with 7 Cavannas recorded in 1881 and an index of 414.20x.

Place Total Index
St Andrew Holborn London 7 414.20x
Croydon 6 56.87x
Liverpool 6 21.34x
Heston 5 384.62x
Campbeltown 4 305.34x
Westminster St John 3 63.16x
Westminster St Margaret 3 159.57x
Lambeth 2 5.88x
Conside Knitsley 1 111.11x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 4.76x
Kirkland 1 555.56x
St Giles In Fields London 1 52.36x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cavanna surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 3
Catherine 2
Maria 2
Angelina 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Johanna 1
Josephine 1
Madilana 1
Philimina 1
Sarah 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cavanna surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Giovanni 2
Guiseppe 2
John 2
Angelo 1
Bernardo 1
Daigaile 1
Eugino 1
Joseph 1
Luigi 1
Manfredo 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Ponwell 1
Thomas 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cavanna households.

FAQ

Cavanna surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cavanna surname in 1881?

In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Cavanna surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cavanna surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Cavanna a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Cavanna surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from place names containing the word "cava" meaning cave or quarry.

What does the Cavanna map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cavanna bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.