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

Cardillo, 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 Cardillo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cardillo in America

Cardillo is the 10620th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cardillo surname appeared 3,015 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 Cardillo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cardillo 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 Cardillo

The surname Cardillo has its origins in Italy, specifically in the regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is derived from the Italian word "cardillo," which means "goldfinch," a type of small bird known for its vibrant yellow and red plumage. The name likely originated as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone with a bright, lively personality or perhaps with reddish or yellowish hair.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Cardillo can be traced back to the 13th century in Sicily. In 1285, a document from the city of Palermo mentions a certain "Guglielmo Cardillo," indicating that the name was already in use during that time period. Additionally, in the 14th century, the name appears in various notarial records and land registry documents from the towns of Messina and Reggio Calabria.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Cardillo was Tommaso Cardillo, a Sicilian nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 15th century. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Sicilian Vespers, fighting against the French occupation of Sicily on behalf of the Aragonese Crown.

In the 16th century, the name Cardillo can be found in the records of the Spanish Inquisition in Sicily. Several individuals with this surname were accused of religious offenses or heresy during the Inquisition's operations on the island.

The surname Cardillo has also been linked to various place names in Italy. For instance, there is a small village called Cardillo in the province of Palermo, which may have contributed to the name's geographic spread and variations in spelling, such as "Cardilli" or "Cardigli."

Among the notable individuals with the surname Cardillo throughout history are:

1. Vincenzo Cardillo (1541-1619), an Italian painter and architect from Messina, known for his works in churches and palaces across Sicily.
2. Giuseppe Cardillo (1791-1862), an Italian composer and music teacher from Naples, who wrote operas and sacred music compositions.
3. Antonio Cardillo (1856-1936), an Italian politician and lawyer from Reggio Calabria, who served as a deputy in the Italian Parliament.
4. Raffaele Cardillo (1885-1962), an Italian sculptor and artist from Naples, known for his bronze and marble statues and busts.
5. Luciano Cardillo (born 1936), an Italian actor and film director, best known for his roles in the commedia all'italiana genre of Italian cinema.

While the surname Cardillo has its roots in southern Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by migration and diaspora over the centuries. The name continues to hold a connection to its Italian heritage and the rich cultural traditions of the regions where it first emerged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cardillo

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

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

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

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