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

Cativo, 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 Cativo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cativo in America

Cativo is the 107669th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cativo surname appeared 165 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 Cativo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cativo 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 Cativo

The surname CATIVO has its origins in Italy, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "cattivo," meaning "bad" or "wicked." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as having an unpleasant or disagreeable personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CATIVO surname can be found in the historic records of the city of Naples, where a certain Giovanni CATIVO was listed as a merchant in the year 1592. Another early reference comes from the town of Salerno, where a Domenico CATIVO was recorded as a landowner in 1618.

During the 17th century, the CATIVO name began to spread across various regions of Italy, particularly in the southern regions. Notable individuals bearing this surname include the Neapolitan poet and playwright, Antonio CATIVO (1645-1721), whose works were widely celebrated during the Baroque period.

In the 18th century, the CATIVO family established a presence in the northern Italian city of Milan. Here, a prominent figure was the architect and engineer, Girolamo CATIVO (1732-1804), who was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Palazzo CATIVO, which still stands today.

As the CATIVO surname spread throughout Italy, it underwent minor spelling variations, such as CATTIVO and CATIVIO, reflecting regional dialectal differences. However, the core meaning and origin remained largely unchanged.

Another notable bearer of the CATIVO name was the 19th-century Sicilian painter, Giuseppe CATIVO (1817-1892), whose landscapes and portraits were highly acclaimed during his lifetime. His works can be found in various museums and private collections across Italy.

In the 20th century, the CATIVO surname gained international recognition through the achievements of the Italian-American author and journalist, Vincenzo CATIVO (1901-1978), who wrote extensively on the experiences of Italian immigrants in the United States.

While the CATIVO surname is not among the most common Italian surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by a diverse array of individuals, from artists and writers to architects and merchants, contributing to the cultural tapestry of Italy and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cativo

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

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

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

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