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

DeFalco, 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 DeFalco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeFalco in America

DeFalco is the 12766th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeFalco surname appeared 2,417 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 DeFalco.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeFalco 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 DeFalco

The surname DeFalco has its origins in Italy, likely stemming from the Latin words "de" meaning "from" and "falco" meaning "falcon". This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname or as a reference to a place of origin associated with falcons.

The earliest known records of the DeFalco name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, such as Sicily, Calabria, and Campania. During this period, the name was often spelled with variations like "de Falcone" or "de Falconi", reflecting the evolving nature of surnames at the time.

In the 14th century, the DeFalco name appeared in historical documents from the town of Martina Franca in the Apulia region of southern Italy. One notable individual bearing this surname was Giovanni DeFalco, a prominent merchant and landowner recorded in municipal records from the late 1300s.

As the DeFalco family expanded across Italy, they left their mark in various regions. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the city of Naples, where they became influential members of the local nobility. One notable figure from this era was Giulio DeFalco (1508-1580), a renowned jurist and legal scholar who served as an advisor to the Spanish viceroy of Naples.

The DeFalco surname also found its way to other parts of Europe, as evidenced by the Dutch artist Pieter DeFalco (1640-1705), who was born in Amsterdam but likely had Italian ancestry. His paintings, which often depicted scenes of everyday life, can be found in museums across Europe.

In the 18th century, the DeFalco name gained prominence in the world of music. Giovanni Battista DeFalco (1742-1808), a talented composer and violinist from Naples, was celebrated for his operas and instrumental works, which were performed throughout Italy and parts of Europe.

As Italian emigrants began to settle in different parts of the world, the DeFalco surname traveled with them. One notable figure from this era was Vincenzo DeFalco (1822-1892), an Italian-born civil engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of the Panama Canal while working for the French company overseeing the project.

These examples, spanning several centuries and regions, illustrate the rich history and diverse contributions of individuals bearing the DeFalco surname, which has its roots firmly planted in the Italian peninsula and a connection to the symbolic falcon.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeFalco

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

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

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

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