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

Dattilo, 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 Dattilo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dattilo in America

Dattilo is the 17657th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dattilo surname appeared 1,591 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dattilo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dattilo 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 Dattilo

The surname Dattilo is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "dattilo" meaning "finger." It is believed that the name originated in Sicily during the medieval period, possibly as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who worked with their fingers, such as a scribe, artisan, or artist.

The earliest known recorded instance of the Dattilo surname dates back to the 13th century in Sicily. Variations of the spelling include Dattili, Dattilidis, and Dattilidi. Some records suggest that the name may have derived from the Greek word "daktylos," also meaning "finger," indicating a possible Greek influence on the surname's origins.

In the 14th century, the name Dattilo appeared in various historical documents in Sicily, such as property records and legal contracts. One notable individual from this period was Pietro Dattilo, a merchant from Palermo, who was mentioned in a trade agreement with Venetian merchants in 1372.

During the Renaissance period, the Dattilo surname gained prominence in the arts and academia. Vincenzo Dattilo (1510-1574) was a renowned sculptor from Palermo, known for his intricate carved wooden altarpieces and religious figures. His nephew, Antonio Dattilo (1538-1612), was a respected philosopher and professor at the University of Palermo.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Dattilo (1705-1782) was a prominent architect and engineer from Catania, Sicily. He designed several notable buildings, including the Palazzo Biscari in Catania, which is considered a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque architecture.

Another notable figure was Domenico Dattilo (1790-1853), a Sicilian painter and engraver from Palermo. He is renowned for his detailed engravings of architectural and landscape scenes, which captured the beauty of Sicily during the early 19th century.

Towards the late 19th century, the Dattilo surname spread beyond Sicily as Italians emigrated to other parts of the world. Gaspare Dattilo (1856-1922) was an Italian-American sculptor and artist from Palermo who settled in New York City and contributed to numerous public art projects and monuments in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dattilo

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

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

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

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