2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Capellini
An Italian surname derived from the word for "small cape" or "little hat".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Capellini. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Capellini surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Capellini in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Capellini, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Capellini
The surname Capellini originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Its roots can be traced back to the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "capellino," which means "little cape" or "little hat," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a maker or seller of these garments.
One of the earliest known records of the name Capellini can be found in the Estimo, a historical tax record from the city of Bologna, dating back to the 15th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Capellino, Capellini, and Cappellini, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.
In the 16th century, the Capellini family was well-established in the city of Parma, where they were involved in the production and trade of silk and textiles. Giovanni Battista Capellini (1519-1589) was a prominent merchant and banker who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.
Moving forward to the 17th century, the name Capellini is associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences. Girolamo Capellini (1619-1672) was a renowned painter from Bologna, known for his religious works and frescoes in churches throughout Italy.
In the 18th century, the name Capellini gained prominence in the field of natural sciences. Giovanni Capellini (1733-1799) was a renowned naturalist and geologist from Bologna. He made significant contributions to the study of fossils and wrote extensively on the geology of the Apennine Mountains.
Another notable figure from this period was Lorenzo Capellini (1758-1834), a composer and music theorist from Bologna. His works included operas, cantatas, and instrumental pieces, and he was highly regarded for his innovative harmonies and melodies.
The 19th century saw the rise of several influential Capellini individuals. Carlo Capellini (1823-1891) was a prominent paleontologist and geologist from Bologna. He made significant discoveries in the field of paleontology and contributed to the understanding of the geological history of the Apennine region.
In the realm of literature, Enrico Capellini (1849-1912) was a notable poet and writer from Parma. His poetry explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, earning him critical acclaim and a place in the literary canon of his time.
As the Capellini name spread across Italy and beyond, it continued to be associated with various professions and fields of expertise, reflecting the diverse talents and contributions of those who carried this surname throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Capellini
Among Census respondents with the surname Capellini, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Capellini bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Capellini surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 6
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Capellini
Capellini appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+9 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,941 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.3%) | Up 6,941 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Capellini surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #143,511 | 4.6% |
| Count | 109 | 118 | 8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Capellini bearers went from 109 to 118 (+8.3% change). The surname moved up 6,941 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #143,511.
FAQ
Capellini surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Capellini?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Capellini. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Capellini?
Capellini ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Capellini. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Capellini.
Has Capellini become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Capellini went from 109 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 9 (+8.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Capellini?
Among Census respondents with the surname Capellini, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Capellini in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Capellini appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (5.1%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Capellini (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Capellini mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word for "small cape" or "little hat". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Capellini (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Capellini?
See how many people are called Capellini on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.