2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Colabelli
An Italian surname denoting someone from the town of Colabella.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Colabelli. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Colabelli 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Colabelli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Colabelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Colabelli
The surname Colabelli is of Italian origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. This name likely originated in the region of Abruzzo, situated in central Italy along the Adriatic coast. The name is thought to be derived from the Latin word "collis," meaning hill, combined with the Italian suffix "-belli," a diminutive form indicating small or little. Therefore, the name Colabelli could translate to "little hill" or "small hill."
In the early records, variations in spelling were common, with the name appearing as Collabelli, Collabella, and Colabella. These spellings suggest a connection to the Latin word "collum," meaning neck or ridge, potentially linking the name to a geographic feature or settlement located on a hillside or ridge.
One of the earliest known references to the name Colabelli can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Ortona, located in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo. This document mentions a certain Nicola Colabelli, who was a landowner and tax collector during that time.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Teramo, also in Abruzzo, where a family of noble descent bearing the name Colabelli held significant influence and wealth. This family's coat of arms featured a small hill or mound, further reinforcing the name's connection to its geographical roots.
Notable individuals bearing the Colabelli surname include:
1. Giacomo Colabelli (1564-1638), a renowned sculptor and architect from Abruzzo, known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the region.
2. Antonio Colabelli (1720-1795), a celebrated painter from the city of Chieti, whose works are displayed in various churches and museums throughout Abruzzo.
3. Maria Colabelli (1809-1876), a philanthropist and benefactor from Teramo, known for her charitable efforts in supporting orphanages and educational institutions.
4. Giuseppe Colabelli (1864-1940), a prominent lawyer and political figure from Pescara, who served as a member of the Italian parliament in the early 20th century.
5. Enzo Colabelli (1915-2002), a celebrated actor and theater director from Rome, renowned for his performances in numerous Italian films and stage productions during the mid-20th century.
While the Colabelli surname may have originated in the region of Abruzzo, it has since spread throughout Italy and beyond, carried by families and individuals who have contributed to various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Colabelli
Among Census respondents with the surname Colabelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Colabelli 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 Colabelli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 111
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Colabelli
Colabelli 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-7 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,758 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,173 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 15,758 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 1,173 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 Colabelli 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 | #146,201 | #145,028 | 0.8% |
| Count | 113 | 116 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Colabelli bearers went from 113 to 116 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 1,173 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #145,028.
FAQ
Colabelli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Colabelli?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Colabelli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Colabelli?
Colabelli ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Colabelli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Colabelli.
Has Colabelli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Colabelli went from 113 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 3 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Colabelli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Colabelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Colabelli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Colabelli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Colabelli (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 Colabelli mean?
An Italian surname denoting someone from the town of Colabella. 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 Colabelli (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 Colabelli?
You can see how many people have the surname Colabelli on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.