2000
#34,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 627
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Very Rare Last name
Cucchiara
A surname possibly derived from the Italian word "cucchiara" meaning spoon or spoon maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 708 Americans carry the last name Cucchiara. That puts it at #38,609 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 484,116 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cucchiara 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
708
1 in 484,116
Census rank
#38,609
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
617
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 617 bearers of the surname Cucchiara in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 38609th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cucchiara, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cucchiara
The surname Cucchiara has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "cucullus," meaning "hood" or "cowl." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals who wore hooded cloaks, possibly monks or members of religious orders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cucchiara can be traced back to the 13th century in medieval records from the town of Ragusa, now known as Ragusa Ibla, located in the province of Ragusa, Sicily. The name appears in documents related to land ownership and taxation during this period.
In the 14th century, there are records of a Cucchiara family residing in the town of Palermo, the capital of Sicily. This family held notable positions within the local government and was involved in various trades and professions.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the surname Cucchiara was Antonino Cucchiara (1460-1524), a renowned Sicilian sculptor and architect. His works can be found in several churches and public buildings throughout Sicily, including the Cathedral of Palermo.
In the 17th century, the Cucchiara name appears in historical documents from the town of Reggio Calabria, located in the region of Calabria. These records suggest that a branch of the family had established itself in this area, possibly due to migration or trade connections.
Another noteworthy individual with the surname Cucchiara was Giovanni Cucchiara (1710-1785), a highly respected jurist and legal scholar from Naples. He authored several influential works on Neapolitan law and served as a judge in the Kingdom of Naples.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Cucchiara surname can be found in various records and documents from various parts of southern Italy, particularly in Sicily and Calabria. This indicates that the name continued to be prevalent in these regions over an extended period.
One of the more recent individuals of note bearing the Cucchiara surname was Giuseppe Cucchiara (1855-1924), a Sicilian politician and philanthropist. He served as the mayor of Palermo and was instrumental in various urban development projects and charitable initiatives in the city.
While the surname Cucchiara has its roots in southern Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins can be traced back to the regions of Sicily and Calabria, where it has a long and rich history spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cucchiara
Among Census respondents with the surname Cucchiara, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Cucchiara 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 Cucchiara surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5% · 552
- Hispanic or Latino7.8% · 48
- Two or more races1.6% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cucchiara
Cucchiara 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
#34,465
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 657
+30 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Down 255 places
2020
#38,609
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 617
-40 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.21
Rank movement Down 4,144 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #34,210 | 627 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #34,465 | 657 | 0.22 | +30 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 255 places |
| 2020 | #38,609 | 617 | 0.21 | -40 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 4,144 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 Cucchiara 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 | #34,465 | #38,609 | -12.0% |
| Count | 657 | 617 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.22 | 0.21 | -6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cucchiara bearers went from 657 to 617 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 4,144 positions in the national ranking, going from #34,465 to #38,609.
FAQ
Cucchiara surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cucchiara?
Name Census estimates that about 708 living Americans carry the surname Cucchiara. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 484,116 residents.
How common is Cucchiara?
Cucchiara ranks #38,609 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.21 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 617 people with the surname Cucchiara. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (708), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.21 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.21 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 Cucchiara.
Has Cucchiara become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cucchiara went from 657 recorded bearers to 617. That is a decrease of 40 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #34,465 to #38,609.
What does the Census say about the background of Cucchiara?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cucchiara, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.8%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Cucchiara in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.5% (552 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cucchiara appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.5%), Hispanic (7.8%), Two or More Races (1.6%). 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 Cucchiara (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 Cucchiara mean?
A surname possibly derived from the Italian word "cucchiara" meaning spoon or spoon maker. 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 Cucchiara (0.21 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 have the last name Cucchiara?
Find out how common the surname Cucchiara is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.