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

Cannizzaro, 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 Cannizzaro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cannizzaro in America

Cannizzaro is the 15483rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cannizzaro surname appeared 1,891 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cannizzaro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cannizzaro 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 Cannizzaro

The surname Cannizzaro originated in Sicily, Italy, specifically in the town of Cannizzaro, located in the province of Reggio Calabria. This place name is believed to be derived from the Greek word "kannas," meaning "reed," suggesting that the area was once known for its abundance of reeds or reed fields.

Historically, the name Cannizzaro can be traced back to the 11th century, when it first appeared in medieval records and manuscripts from the region. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Codice Diplomatico della Cattedrale di Messina, a collection of charters and documents related to the Cathedral of Messina, dating back to the Norman period of Sicily.

During the 13th century, the Cannizzaro family was among the noble families of Messina, and their name appears in various legal documents and property records from that time. A notable figure was Nicolò Cannizzaro, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Messina during the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Cannizzaro family expanded their influence and presence throughout Sicily. One prominent member was Giovanni Battista Cannizzaro, a jurist and legal scholar born in Messina in 1535. He authored several works on Sicilian law and served as a judge in the Sicilian court system.

Another notable figure was Stanislao Cannizzaro, a renowned chemist and professor born in Palermo in 1826. He is best known for his contributions to the development of modern atomic theory and the establishment of the periodic table of elements. Cannizzaro's work helped resolve the long-standing debate over atomic weights and laid the foundation for our understanding of chemical elements.

In the 19th century, the Cannizzaro surname also gained recognition through the artistic accomplishments of Michele Cannizzaro, a Sicilian painter born in Messina in 1808. His works, often depicting religious and historical scenes, can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Sicily and Italy.

The name Cannizzaro has also been associated with several other notable individuals throughout history, including Tommaso Cannizzaro, a 17th-century Sicilian architect responsible for the design of several churches and palaces in Messina, and Giuseppe Cannizzaro, a 20th-century Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Italian Parliament.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cannizzaro

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

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 Cannizzaro 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 Cannizzaro 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 Cannizzaro was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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