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

DiRocco, 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 DiRocco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DiRocco in America

DiRocco is the 22856th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DiRocco surname appeared 1,120 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 DiRocco.

We can also compare 2010 data for DiRocco 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 DiRocco

The surname DIROCCO has its origins in Italy, traced back to the regions of Sicily and Calabria in the southern part of the country. Its earliest roots can be found in the late 15th century, derived from the Italian words "di" meaning "of" and "rocco" meaning "rock" or "rocky area". It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive name for people who lived in rocky or hilly areas.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name DIROCCO can be found in the Sicilian town of Montalbano Elicona, where a document from 1497 refers to a landowner named Giovanni DIROCCO. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time among the local population. Variations in spelling, such as DEROCCO and DIRROCCO, were also common in those early days.

In the 16th century, the name began to appear in other parts of southern Italy, including the region of Calabria. A historical record from 1542 mentions a Francesco DIROCCO, a merchant from the city of Reggio Calabria. This indicates that the name had spread beyond its initial origins and was being adopted by families across the region.

As the centuries passed, the DIROCCO surname gained recognition and prominence in various areas of Italy. One notable figure was Girolamo DIROCCO (1679-1748), a renowned painter and architect from Naples, whose works can still be admired in churches and buildings throughout the city.

In the late 19th century, the name DIROCCO began to appear in other parts of the world as Italian immigrants settled in new lands. Antonio DIROCCO (1852-1918), born in Sicily, was among the first to bring the name to the United States, settling in New York City and working as a stonemason.

Another prominent individual was Domenico DIROCCO (1914-1997), an Italian-American artist and sculptor born in Calabria. His works, which often depicted scenes from Italian life, were widely exhibited and can be found in various museums and galleries across the United States.

While the surname DIROCCO is not among the most common in Italy, it has left its mark on history and can be traced back several centuries in the regions of Sicily and Calabria, where it originated as a descriptive name for those living in rocky or hilly areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DiRocco

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

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

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

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