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

DePalma, 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 DePalma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DePalma in America

DePalma is the 7677th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DePalma surname appeared 4,324 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 DePalma.

We can also compare 2010 data for DePalma 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 DePalma

The surname DePalma originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Campania and Sicily, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "palma," which means "palm tree." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with people who lived near palm trees or worked with palm products.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DePalma can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Barese, a collection of medieval documents from the city of Bari, in southern Italy. The name appears in a document dated 1189, referring to a person named Matteo de Palma.

In the 13th century, the name DePalma was also found in Sicily, as evidenced by a reference to a certain Nicolò de Palma in a document from the city of Palermo, dated 1258.

During the Renaissance period, the DePalma family gained prominence in the city of Naples, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One notable figure from this time was Giovan Battista DePalma, a renowned painter and architect who lived from 1548 to 1628.

In the 17th century, a branch of the DePalma family settled in the town of Sorrento, near Naples. One of their descendants, Giuseppe DePalma (1734-1806), was a respected lawyer and magistrate.

Another historically significant individual with the surname DePalma was Federico DePalma (1856-1925), an Italian politician and journalist who served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was a vocal advocate for workers' rights.

As the DePalma family spread throughout Italy and beyond, variations of the name emerged, such as Palma, Palmieri, and Palmese. These variations often reflected regional linguistic differences or were adopted to distinguish different branches of the family.

In the 19th century, many individuals with the surname DePalma immigrated to the United States, particularly from the regions of Campania and Sicily. One notable example is Antonio DePalma (1869-1949), a successful businessman and community leader who settled in New York City.

Throughout history, the surname DePalma has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, politicians, lawyers, and entrepreneurs, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DePalma

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

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

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

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