2000
#119,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Dentici
An Italian surname derived from the word "denti" meaning teeth, likely referring to a profession relating to dentistry.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Dentici. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dentici 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Dentici in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dentici, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dentici
The surname DENTICI has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 11th to 13th centuries. The name is believed to be derived from the Latin word "dentes," meaning "teeth," indicating a possible occupation or connection to dentistry or similar professions.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the DENTICI surname can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico dei re Aragonesi di Sicilia," a collection of diplomatic documents from the Aragonese rulers of Sicily in the 13th and 14th centuries. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname were present in Sicily during that time period.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni DENTICI (born around 1420) was a prominent lawyer and jurist from Palermo, Sicily. He served as a legal advisor to the Aragonese king Alfonso V and was highly respected for his expertise in civil and canon law.
Another significant individual with the DENTICI surname was Francesco DENTICI (1516-1585), a Sicilian poet and playwright. He was a member of the Accademia degli Accesi, a literary society in Palermo, and is known for his works such as "Il Governo di Dio" and "La Tragedia di Sansone."
During the 16th century, a branch of the DENTICI family settled in the town of Alcamo, located in the province of Trapani, Sicily. This town was once known as "Alcamo Dentice" or "Alcamo della Dentici," suggesting that the family had a strong presence and influence in the area.
In the 18th century, there are records of a noble family named DENTICI in the city of Catania, Sicily. One prominent member was Placido DENTICI (1728-1804), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Sicilian Parliament and held important positions in the city's administration.
Throughout history, the DENTICI surname has been associated with various professions, including law, literature, politics, and potentially dentistry or related fields. While the exact origin of the name is uncertain, its connection to the Latin word "dentes" and its long-standing presence in Sicily contribute to its unique historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dentici
Among Census respondents with the surname Dentici, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Dentici 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 Dentici surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dentici
Dentici 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-11 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,805 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-4 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,339 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #119,644 | 134 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 16,805 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.3%) | Down 6,339 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 Dentici 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 | #136,449 | #142,788 | -4.6% |
| Count | 123 | 119 | -3.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dentici bearers went from 123 to 119 (-3.3% change). The surname moved down 6,339 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #142,788.
FAQ
Dentici surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dentici?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Dentici. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Dentici?
Dentici ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Dentici. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Dentici.
Has Dentici become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dentici went from 123 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Dentici?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dentici, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Dentici in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dentici appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Dentici (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 Dentici mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word "denti" meaning teeth, likely referring to a profession relating to dentistry. 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 Dentici (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 many people have the surname Dentici?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.