2000
#10,088
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,945
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.09
Rare Last name
Defazio
Derived from the Italian place name "Fazio," likely referring to someone from that locality.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,189 Americans carry the last name Defazio. That puts it at #10,936 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.93 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 107,480 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Defazio 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
3.2K
1 in 107,480
Census rank
#10,936
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,781 bearers of the surname Defazio in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.93 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10936th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Defazio, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Defazio
The surname DEFAZIO originated in Italy, most likely in the southern regions of the country. It is derived from the Italian word "fazio," which means "face" or "visage." The prefix "de" could indicate a place of origin, suggesting that the name may have originated from a particular town or region associated with the word "fazio."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the DEFAZIO surname can be traced back to the 14th century in historical documents from the regions of Campania and Calabria. It is possible that the name was initially bestowed upon an individual with a distinctive facial feature or someone who worked as a portraitist or artist specializing in facial representations.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the DEFAZIO surname was Giovanni DEFAZIO, a renowned painter from Naples who gained recognition for his religious artworks and portraiture. His works can be found in various churches and galleries throughout southern Italy.
During the 16th century, the DEFAZIO name appeared in several official records and manuscripts, particularly in the regions of Puglia and Basilicata. One notable individual from this era was Antonio DEFAZIO, a skilled architect who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in the city of Lecce.
In the 17th century, the DEFAZIO family spread to other parts of Italy, and the name can be found in records from cities like Rome and Florence. One notable figure from this period was Carlo DEFAZIO, a philosopher and writer who published several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.
As the centuries progressed, the DEFAZIO surname continued to be associated with various professions and achievements. In the 19th century, Giuseppe DEFAZIO was a prominent politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the unification of Italy and the development of its legal system.
Throughout history, there have been numerous individuals bearing the DEFAZIO surname who have made noteworthy contributions in various fields, including the arts, architecture, philosophy, and politics. While the name's origins can be traced back to Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and various historical events.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Defazio
Among Census respondents with the surname Defazio, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Defazio 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 Defazio surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 2,573
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 128
- Two or more races1.9% · 52
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 24
- Black or African American0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Defazio
Defazio 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
#10,800
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,952
+7 bearers (+0.2%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Down 712 places
2020
#10,936
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,781
-171 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Down 136 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,088 | 2,945 | 1.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,800 | 2,952 | 1.00 | +7 bearers (+0.2%) | Down 712 places |
| 2020 | #10,936 | 2,781 | 0.93 | -171 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 136 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 Defazio 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 | #10,800 | #10,936 | -1.3% |
| Count | 2,952 | 2,781 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.00 | 0.93 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Defazio bearers went from 2,952 to 2,781 (-5.8% change). The surname moved down 136 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,800 to #10,936.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Defazio
FAQ
Defazio surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Defazio?
Name Census estimates that about 3,189 living Americans carry the surname Defazio. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 107,480 residents.
How common is Defazio?
Defazio ranks #10,936 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.93 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,781 people with the surname Defazio. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,189), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.93 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.93 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Defazio.
Has Defazio become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Defazio went from 2,952 recorded bearers to 2,781. That is a decrease of 171 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,800 to #10,936.
What does the Census say about the background of Defazio?
Among Census respondents with the surname Defazio, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Defazio in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (2,573 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Defazio appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Defazio (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 Defazio mean?
Derived from the Italian place name "Fazio," likely referring to someone from that locality. 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 Defazio (0.93 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 surname Defazio?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.