2000
#112,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Dinola
An Italian surname derived from the Latin phrase "die Nola" meaning "of Nola."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Dinola. 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 Dinola 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 Dinola 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 Dinola, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dinola
The surname DINOLA originated in Italy, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word 'nola,' which means 'bell,' and the prefix 'di,' meaning 'of' or 'from.' This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or worked with bells, possibly a bell ringer or a bell maker.
One of the earliest known references to the DINOLA surname can be found in the historical records of the city of Naples, where a family bearing this name was documented in the late 13th century. It is likely that the name originated in this region of Italy, potentially in the town of Nola, located near Naples.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Pietro DINOLA was mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Salerno, where he was described as a skilled craftsman and bell maker. This suggests that the name may have been associated with this particular trade during that time period.
During the Renaissance era, the DINOLA surname gained prominence in various parts of Italy, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such individual was Giulio DINOLA, a renowned artist and sculptor who lived in Florence in the late 15th century. His works can still be found adorning several churches and palaces throughout the city.
Another prominent figure with the DINOLA surname was Antonio DINOLA, a distinguished philosopher and scholar who lived in Rome during the 16th century. He was known for his influential writings on ethics and metaphysics, and his works were widely studied and discussed in academic circles of the time.
In the 17th century, a branch of the DINOLA family migrated to Sicily, where they established themselves as landowners and prominent members of the local community. One notable individual from this period was Vincenzo DINOLA, who was appointed as the governor of the town of Messina in the late 1600s.
Throughout the centuries, the DINOLA surname has been associated with various professions and trades, including artisans, scholars, and members of the nobility. While the name may have had its origins in the bell-making trade, it has since become a widespread surname found in various regions of Italy and among Italian communities around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dinola
Among Census respondents with the surname Dinola, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Dinola 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 Dinola surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dinola
Dinola 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-23 bearers (-16.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 25,337 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,484 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,967 | 144 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | -23 bearers (-16.0%) | Down 25,337 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 4,484 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 Dinola 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 | #138,304 | #142,788 | -3.2% |
| Count | 121 | 119 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dinola bearers went from 121 to 119 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 4,484 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #142,788.
FAQ
Dinola surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dinola?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Dinola. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Dinola?
Dinola 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 Dinola. 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 Dinola.
Has Dinola become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dinola went from 121 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Dinola?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dinola, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Dinola in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dinola appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (4.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Dinola (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 Dinola mean?
An Italian surname derived from the Latin phrase "die Nola" meaning "of Nola." 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 Dinola (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 common is the surname Dinola?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Dinola? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.