2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cucullu
A surname derived from the Latin word "cucullus," meaning a hooded frock or garment worn by monks.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Cucullu. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cucullu 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Cucullu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cucullu, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (22.2%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cucullu
The surname CUCULLU has its origins in Italy, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "cucullus," which means "hood" or "cowl," referring to the hooded garments worn by monks.
The name was likely first adopted by individuals who lived near monasteries or had some association with monastic orders. It may have been a nickname or a descriptive term for someone who worked or lived in proximity to monks or was known for wearing a similar hooded garment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CUCULLU can be found in the archives of the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino, located in the region of Campania, Italy. A document from the 13th century mentions a certain Frater Cucullu, a monk residing at the monastery.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various municipal records from the city of Naples, suggesting that the CUCULLU family had established roots in the area. One notable reference is the mention of Giacomo CUCULLU, a merchant who owned several properties in the city's historic center in the mid-1300s.
As the name spread throughout Italy, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as CUCCULLU, CUCULLUS, and CUCCULO. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes.
In the 15th century, the CUCULLU name gained prominence in the Republic of Venice, where a branch of the family settled. One of the most notable figures from this period was Marco CUCULLU, a successful merchant and diplomat who served as the Venetian consul in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) from 1456 to 1463.
Another significant figure bearing the CUCULLU name was Girolamo CUCULLU, a renowned philosopher and humanist who lived in the 16th century. Born in Naples in 1508, Girolamo was a prolific writer and scholar, known for his works on philosophy, literature, and theology.
In the 17th century, the CUCULLU family had a presence in the Papal States, particularly in the city of Rome. One member of note was Cardinal Pietro CUCULLU, who served as a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church and played a influential role in the Vatican during the pontificate of Pope Innocent XI in the late 1600s.
Throughout its history, the CUCULLU surname has been associated with various professions, including clergy, merchants, scholars, and diplomats. While the name may have originated from a humble nickname, it has left a lasting mark on the cultural and intellectual fabric of Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cucullu
Among Census respondents with the surname Cucullu, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (22.2%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Cucullu 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 Cucullu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.8% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino22.2% · 26
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cucullu
Cucullu 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+15 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,319 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-13 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,660 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 4,319 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 13,660 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 Cucullu 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 | #130,610 | #144,270 | -10.5% |
| Count | 130 | 117 | -10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cucullu bearers went from 130 to 117 (-10.0% change). The surname moved down 13,660 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #144,270.
FAQ
Cucullu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cucullu?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Cucullu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Cucullu?
Cucullu ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Cucullu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Cucullu.
Has Cucullu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cucullu went from 130 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Cucullu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cucullu, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (22.2%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Cucullu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.8% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cucullu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.8%), Hispanic (22.2%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Cucullu (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 Cucullu mean?
A surname derived from the Latin word "cucullus," meaning a hooded frock or garment worn by monks. 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 Cucullu (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 common is the surname Cucullu?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Cucullu at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.