2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Catanio
A surname of Italian origin meaning "small cat" or "kitten".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Catanio. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Catanio 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Catanio in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Catanio, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Catanio
The surname CATANIO is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the region of Campania, particularly around the city of Naples and the surrounding areas.
One of the earliest known references to the CATANIO surname can be found in historical records from the 13th century. These documents suggest that the name may have derived from the Italian word "catena," meaning "chain," possibly indicating an association with a profession or trade involving chains or metalwork.
During the Renaissance period, the CATANIO name gained prominence in various parts of Italy. Notably, the surname appears in the famous Florentine Codex, a 16th-century manuscript that documented the history and culture of the Aztec people in Mexico.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni CATANIO (1430-1492) was a renowned scholar and humanist who contributed significantly to the study of ancient Greek literature. His works and translations played a vital role in the dissemination of classical knowledge during the Italian Renaissance.
Another individual of historical significance was Tommaso CATANIO (1567-1623), a Neapolitan painter and architect who is credited with designing several notable churches and buildings in Naples, including the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
In the 18th century, the CATANIO surname gained further recognition with the birth of Antonio CATANIO (1745-1815), a Sicilian composer and violinist who achieved great success in the courts of Europe. His compositions were widely appreciated and performed throughout the continent.
During the 19th century, the CATANIO name was associated with the Italian unification movement. Giuseppe CATANIO (1820-1887), a lawyer and politician from Calabria, played a significant role in the Risorgimento, the political and social movement that led to the unification of Italy.
Throughout its history, the CATANIO surname has also been linked to various place names and locations within Italy. For example, the town of Catania in Sicily shares a similar spelling, although the connection between the surname and the place name is not definitively established.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Catanio
Among Census respondents with the surname Catanio, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Catanio 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 Catanio surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.7% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino19.8% · 22
- Two or more races4.5% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Catanio
Catanio 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,744 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,867 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,744 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 2,867 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 Catanio 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 | #151,532 | #148,665 | 1.9% |
| Count | 108 | 111 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Catanio bearers went from 108 to 111 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 2,867 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #148,665.
FAQ
Catanio surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Catanio?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Catanio. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Catanio?
Catanio ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Catanio. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Catanio.
Has Catanio become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Catanio went from 108 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Catanio?
Among Census respondents with the surname Catanio, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (19.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Catanio in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.7% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Catanio appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.7%), Hispanic (19.8%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Catanio (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 Catanio mean?
A surname of Italian origin meaning "small cat" or "kitten". 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 Catanio (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 Catanio?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Catanio is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.