2000
#10,513
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,803
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.04
Rare Last name
Defeo
From the Italian surname "De Feo," meaning "the ugly one" in Italian, likely referring to an unattractive ancestor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,110 Americans carry the last name Defeo. That puts it at #11,162 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 110,210 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Defeo 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Defeo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 110,210
Census rank
#11,162
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,712 bearers of the surname Defeo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11162nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Defeo, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Defeo
The surname DEFEO originated in Italy, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "defaeco," meaning "to purify" or "to cleanse." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who worked in professions related to purification or cleansing, such as tanners or dyers.
One of the earliest known references to the name DEFEO can be found in a document from the city of Naples, dated 1289. This document mentions a certain Giovanni DEFEO, who was a prominent merchant in the city at that time.
In the 14th century, the DEFEO surname began to spread across various regions of Italy, including Tuscany and Lombardy. Historical records from this period often list the name with variations in spelling, such as DEFAIO, DEFAJO, and DEFAGIO.
During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the DEFEO surname. One such person was Antonio DEFEO, a celebrated painter from Florence who lived from 1450 to 1528. His works can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.
Another prominent figure was Francesca DEFEO, a renowned scholar and poet from Siena, who lived from 1480 to 1554. She was highly regarded for her contributions to literature and was a member of the prestigious Accademia degli Intronati.
In the 17th century, the DEFEO surname gained a foothold in the city of Venice. One of the most famous individuals from this period was Marco DEFEO, a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Venice, including the church of Santa Maria della Salute. He lived from 1610 to 1678.
As the DEFEO family spread throughout Italy, they often adopted variations of the name based on local dialects and traditions. For example, in the southern regions of Italy, the surname was sometimes spelled as DEFIO or DEFIORE.
Throughout the centuries, the DEFEO surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, including artists, scholars, merchants, and artisans. While the name has evolved over time, its Italian roots and rich cultural heritage remain an integral part of its identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Defeo
Among Census respondents with the surname Defeo, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Defeo 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 Defeo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 2,511
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 114
- Two or more races1.6% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 34
- Black or African American0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Defeo
Defeo 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
#11,415
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,760
-43 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.94
Rank movement Down 902 places
2020
#11,162
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,712
-48 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Up 253 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,513 | 2,803 | 1.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,415 | 2,760 | 0.94 | -43 bearers (-1.5%) | Down 902 places |
| 2020 | #11,162 | 2,712 | 0.91 | -48 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 253 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 Defeo 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 | #11,415 | #11,162 | 2.2% |
| Count | 2,760 | 2,712 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.94 | 0.91 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Defeo bearers went from 2,760 to 2,712 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 253 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,415 to #11,162.
FAQ
Defeo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Defeo?
Name Census estimates that about 3,110 living Americans carry the surname Defeo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 110,210 residents.
How common is Defeo?
Defeo ranks #11,162 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.91 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 2,712 people with the surname Defeo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,110), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.91 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.91 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 Defeo.
Has Defeo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Defeo went from 2,760 recorded bearers to 2,712. That is a decrease of 48 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,415 to #11,162.
What does the Census say about the background of Defeo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Defeo, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) 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 Defeo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (2,511 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Defeo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (4.2%), 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 Defeo (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 Defeo mean?
From the Italian surname "De Feo," meaning "the ugly one" in Italian, likely referring to an unattractive ancestor. 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 Defeo (0.91 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 are called Defeo?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Defeo? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.