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

DiSessa, 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 DiSessa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DiSessa in America

DiSessa is the 111426th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DiSessa surname appeared 158 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 DiSessa.

We can also compare 2010 data for DiSessa 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 DiSessa

The surname DeSessa originated in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of Campania and Basilicata, sometime around the 11th or 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "desertum," meaning "deserted" or "abandoned," potentially indicating that the family's ancestors may have settled in an area that was previously uninhabited or abandoned.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DeSessa surname can be found in a historical document from the city of Naples, dated 1238, which mentions a certain "Riccardo DeSessa" as a landowner in the region. Another early reference comes from a manuscript in the Vatican archives, dating back to the late 13th century, which lists several individuals with the surname DeSessa among the noble families of the Kingdom of Naples.

During the Renaissance period, the DeSessa name appears to have been associated with several notable figures in the arts and literature. One such individual was Giulio DeSessa, a 16th-century Neapolitan painter and sculptor, who was renowned for his works in the churches and palaces of Naples. Another notable figure was Alessandro DeSessa (1535-1602), a poet and philosopher from Salerno, whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.

In the 17th century, the DeSessa family produced several military leaders and statesmen. One of the most prominent was Giovan Battista DeSessa (1610-1689), a general in the Spanish Army who played a crucial role in the defense of Naples during the Masaniello Revolt. Another notable figure was Carlo DeSessa (1658-1726), a diplomat and statesman who served as the ambassador of the Kingdom of Naples to the court of Louis XIV in France.

As the DeSessa family spread throughout Italy and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as DiSessa, DeSessa, and De Sessa. One notable bearer of this variant spelling was Cesare DeSessa (1789-1865), an Italian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Throughout history, several places and landmarks have been associated with the DeSessa surname, including the DeSessa Palace in Naples, which dates back to the 16th century, and the town of Sessa Aurunca, located in the province of Caserta, which is believed to have ties to the family's origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DiSessa

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

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

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

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