Cappo last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Cappo

A habitational surname derived from an Italian place named after the Latin word "caput" meaning head or chief.

Cappo, 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 Cappo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cappo in America

Cappo is the 51941st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cappo surname appeared 400 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cappo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cappo 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 51941 41657 21.97%
Count 400 492 -20.63%
Proportion per 100k 0.14 0.18 -25.00%

The history of the last name Cappo

The surname Cappo has its origins in Italy, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "cappa," which means "cape" or "cloak," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a cloak maker or seller.

One of the earliest known references to the name Cappo can be found in the Venetian archives from the late 15th century, where a certain Giovanni Cappo is mentioned as a merchant engaged in the trade of textiles and fabrics. This historical record provides insight into the potential occupation associated with the surname and its geographical roots in the Venetian region of Italy.

In the late 17th century, a notable individual named Giacomo Cappo (1635-1711) was a renowned architect and sculptor from the city of Vicenza, famous for his contribution to the design and construction of several churches and palaces in the Veneto region. His artistic legacy has left a significant imprint on the architectural heritage of northern Italy.

During the 18th century, the Cappo family name gained prominence in the city of Naples, where a certain Vincenzo Cappo (1722-1798) was a respected lawyer and legal scholar. His treatises on civil law and jurisprudence were widely regarded and studied by legal professionals of his time.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most notable figures bearing the Cappo surname was Giuseppe Cappo (1833-1900), a prominent Italian politician and statesman from the region of Piedmont. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and played a crucial role in the unification of Italy, working closely with the influential leaders of the Risorgimento movement.

Another historical figure worth mentioning is Antonio Cappo (1866-1943), a renowned Italian explorer and adventurer who led several expeditions to the African continent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His detailed accounts and journals of his travels provided valuable insights into the cultures and landscapes of the regions he visited, contributing significantly to the field of anthropology and geography.

These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with the Cappo surname throughout history, spanning various professions, artistic pursuits, and geographical regions within Italy. While the name's origins can be traced back to the 16th century, its legacy has endured and left an indelible mark across different spheres of influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cappo

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

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 Cappo was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.25% 365
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.50% 6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.00% 8
Hispanic Origin 4.75% 19

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 Cappo has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.25% 91.67% -0.46%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.50% 1.22% 20.59%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.00% 3.25% -47.62%
Hispanic 4.75% 3.05% 43.59%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Cappo last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 21, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/cappo-surname-popularity/.

"Cappo last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/cappo-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 June, 2025

Cappo last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/cappo-surname-popularity/.

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