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

DeStefano, 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 DeStefano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeStefano in America

DeStefano is the 4975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeStefano surname appeared 7,058 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname DeStefano.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeStefano 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 DeStefano

The surname DeStefano is of Italian origin, deriving from the personal name Stefano, the Italian version of the name Stephen. The name traces its roots back to ancient Greek, with the meaning "crown" or "garland."

The name emerged in Italy during the Middle Ages, particularly in the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Sicily. It is believed that the prefix "De" was added to the name to indicate lineage or place of origin, a common practice during that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DeStefano can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of documents from the Benedictine monastery of Cava dei Tirreni in Campania, dating back to the 11th century.

In the 14th century, a nobleman named Matteo DeStefano was recorded as owning land in the town of Salerno, located in the Campania region of southern Italy.

During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the surname DeStefano was the painter Giovanni DeStefano, born in Palermo, Sicily, in the early 16th century. His works can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.

Another prominent individual was the philosopher and theologian Tommaso DeStefano, who lived in Naples during the 17th century. He was known for his contributions to the study of ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 18th century, the Italian composer and violinist Giuseppe DeStefano gained recognition for his operas and instrumental works, which were performed throughout Europe.

As the name spread across Italy and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Destefani, DeStephano, and Distefano, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.

Over the centuries, the DeStefano name has been associated with various professions, including artists, scholars, politicians, and entrepreneurs, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of Italy and other parts of the world where Italian immigrants settled.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeStefano

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

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

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

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