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

DeRita, 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 DeRita surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeRita in America

DeRita is the 59603rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeRita surname appeared 339 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname DeRita.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeRita 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 DeRita

The surname DERITA originates from the Italian region of Piedmont, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "rida," meaning "to laugh" or "to smile." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone with a cheerful or jovial demeanor.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the DERITA surname can be found in the municipal records of the town of Asti, in Piedmont, from the year 1487. The record refers to a certain Giovanni DERITA, a local merchant and landowner. Another early reference is found in a manuscript dating back to 1512, which mentions a Beatrice DERITA, a noblewoman from the city of Turin.

In the 16th century, the DERITA family seemed to have gained prominence in the Piedmont region, with several members holding influential positions in local governments and ecclesiastical organizations. One notable figure was Francesco DERITA (1542-1619), a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a magistrate in the city of Alessandria.

As the DERITA name spread beyond Piedmont, it appeared in various historical records throughout Italy. In the 17th century, a branch of the family settled in the region of Tuscany, where a certain Giulio DERITA (1603-1678) became a renowned artist and architect, known for his work on several churches and palaces in Florence and Siena.

Another prominent individual with the DERITA surname was Vincenzo DERITA (1722-1798), a celebrated playwright and poet from Naples. His works were widely acclaimed during the Enlightenment period and were performed in theaters across Europe.

Moving into the 19th century, the DERITA name gained recognition in the field of medicine with the birth of Emilio DERITA (1856-1924), a pioneering Italian physician who made significant contributions to the study of infectious diseases and public health.

Over the centuries, the DERITA surname has evolved through various spellings and variants, such as DeRita, De Rita, and Derita, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic variations within Italy. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its distinctive Italian heritage and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeRita

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

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

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

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