2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dimella
A surname potentially derived from the Italian phrase "di mela" meaning "of the apple".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Dimella. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dimella 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Dimella in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dimella, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.6%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dimella
The surname DIMELLA originated in Italy, with the earliest records indicating its presence in the southern region of Campania dating back to the 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Latin word "de mella," which means "from the honey." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been associated with beekeeping or honey production.
DIMELLA is a variant spelling of the Italian surname DiMella, which has similar roots. The name can be traced to various historical records, including tax rolls and parish registers from towns such as Caserta and Naples. It is noteworthy that in the 16th century, a certain Giovanni DiMella was mentioned in a court document from the city of Salerno, indicating the presence of this surname in the region during that time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DIMELLA can be found in the baptismal records of the town of Caserta, where a child named Antonio DIMELLA was born in 1572. This suggests that the family had already established itself in the area by the late 16th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname DIMELLA. For instance, Girolamo DIMELLA (1620-1687) was a renowned philosopher and theologian from Naples, who wrote extensively on the subjects of metaphysics and natural theology. Another noteworthy figure was Vincenzo DIMELLA (1755-1831), a celebrated painter from Caserta, known for his intricate frescoes adorning various churches and palaces in the region.
In the realm of literature, the name DIMELLA is associated with the Italian writer and poet, Tommaso DIMELLA (1825-1895), who hailed from the town of Avellino. His works, which often explored themes of love and nature, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
Moving into the 20th century, Giuseppe DIMELLA (1901-1982) was a prominent politician from Naples, who served as a member of the Italian Parliament for several terms and played a significant role in shaping the post-war political landscape of the country.
While these examples provide a glimpse into the historical significance of the surname DIMELLA, it is important to note that the name has likely been carried by numerous individuals throughout the centuries, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dimella
Among Census respondents with the surname Dimella, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.6%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Dimella 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 Dimella surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino13.6% · 16
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dimella
Dimella 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+22 bearers (+22.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,109 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-4 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,184 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +22 bearers (+22.0%) | Up 13,109 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.3%) | Down 6,184 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 Dimella 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 | #137,327 | #143,511 | -4.5% |
| Count | 122 | 118 | -3.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dimella bearers went from 122 to 118 (-3.3% change). The surname moved down 6,184 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #143,511.
FAQ
Dimella surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dimella?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Dimella. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Dimella?
Dimella ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Dimella. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Dimella.
Has Dimella become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dimella went from 122 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Dimella?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dimella, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.6%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Dimella in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dimella appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Hispanic (13.6%), Black (1.7%). 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 Dimella (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 Dimella mean?
A surname potentially derived from the Italian phrase "di mela" meaning "of the apple". 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 Dimella (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 share the surname Dimella?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.