2000
#10,465
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,816
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.04
Rare Last name
Capuano
From the Italian place name Capua, indicating someone who originated from the city of Capua in southern Italy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,972 Americans carry the last name Capuano. That puts it at #11,594 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 115,328 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Capuano 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Capuano with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.0K
1 in 115,328
Census rank
#11,594
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,592 bearers of the surname Capuano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11594th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Capuano, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Capuano
The surname Capuano originated in Italy, specifically in the Campania region. It is believed to have derived from the name of the city of Capua, an ancient Roman town located in the province of Caserta. The name Capua is thought to stem from the Latin word "caput," meaning "head" or "source," suggesting that the town was located at the source of a river or regarded as a prominent place.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Capuano can be traced back to the 11th century. In a document from 1063, a certain Petrus Capuanus is mentioned, indicating the presence of the surname in that era. The spelling variations during that time included Capuano, Capuani, and Capuani.
During the Middle Ages, the name Capuano appeared in various historical records, such as land deeds and legal documents. For example, in 1275, a Niccolò Capuano was recorded as a landowner in the town of Aversa, near Naples.
The surname Capuano has also been associated with notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest known figures bearing this name was Giacomo Capuano (c. 1220-1285), a prominent Italian jurist and author from the city of Capua. He wrote several legal treatises and was highly regarded in his field.
Another notable figure was Girolamo Capuano (1499-1573), an Italian Renaissance architect and engineer. He was responsible for the design and construction of several significant buildings in Naples, including the Palazzo Capuano, which still stands today.
In the 18th century, Gennaro Capuano (1703-1778) was a renowned Italian painter from Naples. He specialized in religious and mythological scenes and his works can be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Raffaele Capuano (1854-1923) was an Italian politician and lawyer. He served as a deputy in the Italian Parliament and was known for his advocacy of workers' rights and social reforms.
The surname Capuano has also been associated with various place names in Italy. For instance, the town of Capuano Nuovo in the province of Avellino is believed to have derived its name from the Capuano family, who may have been among the founders or prominent residents of the area.
Throughout its history, the surname Capuano has maintained a strong presence in Italy, particularly in the southern regions of Campania and Lazio. While the name has spread to other parts of the world due to migration, its roots can be traced back to the ancient city of Capua and the surrounding areas in the heart of Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Capuano
Among Census respondents with the surname Capuano, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Capuano 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 Capuano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 2,408
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 93
- Two or more races2.3% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 18
- Black or African American0.4% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Capuano
Capuano appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,516
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,731
-85 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Down 1,051 places
2020
#11,594
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,592
-139 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Down 78 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,465 | 2,816 | 1.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,516 | 2,731 | 0.93 | -85 bearers (-3.0%) | Down 1,051 places |
| 2020 | #11,594 | 2,592 | 0.87 | -139 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 78 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 Capuano 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 | #11,516 | #11,594 | -0.7% |
| Count | 2,731 | 2,592 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.93 | 0.87 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Capuano bearers went from 2,731 to 2,592 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 78 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,516 to #11,594.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Capuano
FAQ
Capuano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Capuano?
Name Census estimates that about 2,972 living Americans carry the surname Capuano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 115,328 residents.
How common is Capuano?
Capuano ranks #11,594 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,592 people with the surname Capuano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,972), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.87 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.87 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Capuano.
Has Capuano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Capuano went from 2,731 recorded bearers to 2,592. That is a decrease of 139 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,516 to #11,594.
What does the Census say about the background of Capuano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Capuano, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Capuano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (2,408 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Capuano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Capuano (2000, 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 Capuano mean?
From the Italian place name Capua, indicating someone who originated from the city of Capua in southern Italy. 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 Capuano (0.87 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 Capuano?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Capuano on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.