Find out how popular the last name Amato is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Amato.

Amato, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Amato surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Amato in America

Amato is the 2837th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Amato surname appeared 12,713 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Amato.

We can also compare 2010 data for Amato to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Amato

The surname Amato originated in Italy and is derived from the Italian word "amato," which means "beloved" or "loved one." It is believed to have emerged as a nickname or descriptive name given to someone who was well-loved or cherished within their community.

The earliest recorded instances of the Amato surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of Italy, including Sicily, Campania, and Calabria. These regions were known for their rich cultural heritage and were heavily influenced by Greek, Roman, and Arabic civilizations, which may have contributed to the development of the name.

One of the earliest known references to the Amato surname can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis," a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine abbey of Cava dei Tirreni in Campania, dating back to the 11th century. This collection contains records of individuals with the surname Amato, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.

In the 13th century, historical records mention a prominent figure named Ruggero Amato, who was a notary and judge in the city of Salerno, located in the Campania region of Italy. His name is recorded in various legal documents and official records from that era.

During the Renaissance period, the Amato surname gained further recognition with the birth of Giovanni Battista Amato (1525-1592), a renowned Italian philosopher and physician. He was born in Naples and made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and natural philosophy.

Another notable figure with the Amato surname was Vincenzo Amato (1629-1670), a Baroque painter from Campania who was known for his religious works and frescoes adorning numerous churches throughout Italy.

In the 19th century, the Amato surname gained international recognition with the birth of Pasquale Amato (1878-1942), an Italian operatic tenor who achieved fame for his performances in operas by composers such as Puccini and Verdi. He was particularly renowned for his portrayal of the role of Radamès in Aida.

Throughout history, the Amato surname has been associated with various place names and locations within Italy, such as Amato di Nola, a town in the province of Avellino, Campania, and Amato di Messina, a small town in the province of Messina, Sicily.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Amato

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Amato.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Amato was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Amato has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Amato was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Amato, please contact us.

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