Surname distribution and origin notes

Silva Surname in Italy

Silva is very common among Italian surnames. It is held by 4,509 people across 634 Italian towns. The top towns are Milan (332), Seregno (295), Piacenza (185). The strongest regional presence is in Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna, Piemonte.

Origin notes

Origin and meaning

The surname Silva is characteristic of a region stretching from Como to Parma, including Milan, Pavia, and Piacenza. It likely originates from a toponym referring to proximity to a forest or woodland. The Selva family appears as nobility in the Ossola Valley as early as the 13th century. Notably, Paolo Silva (1476-1536) served as a distinguished military commander under French kings Louis XII and Francis I.

Surname map

Distribution in Italy

Highest presence: Milan

Silva Surname Distribution Map in Italy

This map shows the areas of Italy where the Silva surname is more or less present. Warmer colors indicate stronger presence, while cooler colors indicate lighter presence.

Surname distribution
Surname presence
lowerhigher

Italian towns with the highest presence

TownProvinceRegionPeople
MilanMilanLombardia332people
SeregnoMonza e della BrianzaLombardia295people
PiacenzaPiacenzaEmilia-Romagna185people
RomeRomeLazio183people
ParmaParmaEmilia-Romagna82people
TurinTurinPiemonte78people
GenoaGenoaLiguria77people
VigevanoPaviaLombardia67people
GiussanoMonza e della BrianzaLombardia53people
MonzaMonza e della BrianzaLombardia50people

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