2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Capillo
An Italian surname derived from the Italian word "capello" meaning hair.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Capillo. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Capillo 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Capillo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Capillo, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Capillo
The surname CAPILLO is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "capillus," which means hair or head of hair. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a distinctive hairstyle or hair color.
The earliest known record of the CAPILLO surname dates back to the 13th century in the city of Genoa, located in the northwestern region of Italy. Historical documents from this time period mention individuals bearing this surname, indicating that it was already established as a family name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the CAPILLO surname was Giovanni Capillo, born around 1285 in Genoa. He was a prominent merchant and trader who played a significant role in the city's maritime commerce during the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the CAPILLO name appeared in various regions of Italy, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. In some areas, the name underwent slight spelling variations, such as Capelli or Capelli, which reflect regional dialects and pronunciation differences.
During the 15th century, the CAPILLO surname gained prominence in the city of Florence, where several members of the family held influential positions within the city's government and artistic circles. One notable figure was Piero Capillo, born in 1438, who served as a respected diplomat and advisor to the Medici family.
As the CAPILLO surname spread across Italy, it also found its way into other parts of Europe through migration and trade. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in Spain, where the name was adapted to the Spanish spelling of Capillo.
One of the most renowned individuals bearing the CAPILLO surname was the Italian painter and architect Giulio Capillo, born in 1528 in Perugia. He is best known for his contributions to the design and construction of several significant buildings in Rome, including the Palazzo Farnese.
In the 17th century, a CAPILLO family established itself in France, where the name was recorded as Capillon. One member, Jacques Capillon, born in 1642 in Lyon, gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and was appointed as the official horologist to the French court.
As time progressed, the CAPILLO surname continued to spread across various regions, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in diverse fields such as art, literature, and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Capillo
Among Census respondents with the surname Capillo, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Capillo 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 Capillo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White61.1% · 66
- Hispanic or Latino23.1% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.3% · 9
- Two or more races6.5% · 7
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Capillo
Capillo 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
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+7 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,777 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.9%) | Up 8,777 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 Capillo 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 | #159,712 | #150,935 | 5.5% |
| Count | 101 | 108 | 6.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Capillo bearers went from 101 to 108 (+6.9% change). The surname moved up 8,777 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #150,935.
FAQ
Capillo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Capillo?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Capillo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Capillo?
Capillo ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Capillo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Capillo.
Has Capillo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Capillo went from 101 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 7 (+6.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Capillo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Capillo, the largest self-reported group is White at 61.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (8.3%). 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 Capillo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.1% (66 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Capillo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (61.1%), Hispanic (23.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.3%). 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 Capillo (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 Capillo mean?
An Italian surname derived from the Italian word "capello" meaning hair. 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 Capillo (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 share the surname Capillo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.