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

Dragotta, 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 Dragotta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dragotta in America

Dragotta is the 60790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dragotta surname appeared 331 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 Dragotta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dragotta 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 Dragotta

The surname Dragotta is of Italian origin, specifically from the southern regions of Italy such as Sicily and Calabria. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "drago," meaning dragon, or from the Latin word "draconis," also meaning dragon. The name's origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when many surnames were derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or symbolic associations.

One possible explanation for the name Dragotta is that it may have been given to someone who displayed bravery or strength, akin to the mythical dragon. Alternatively, it could have been a surname bestowed upon a family that used a dragon symbol on their coat of arms or as a personal emblem.

Historical records from the 14th century mention individuals with the surname Dragotta in various regions of southern Italy. One notable reference is found in a tax record from the city of Palermo, Sicily, dated 1387, which lists a certain Giovanni Dragotta as a taxpayer.

The earliest known bearer of the name Dragotta was Pietro Dragotta, a merchant from the town of Reggio Calabria, who lived in the 15th century. He is mentioned in a trade document from 1462, where he is recorded as having imported goods from the Middle East.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Dragotta was Giacomo Dragotta, a poet and playwright from Catania, Sicily. He was born in 1520 and is known for his works that celebrated the Italian Renaissance's cultural and artistic achievements.

During the 17th century, the Dragotta family gained prominence in the city of Naples, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One prominent member was Tommaso Dragotta, a renowned architect who designed several churches and palaces in Naples between 1640 and 1685.

In the 19th century, a famous bearer of the Dragotta surname was Giuseppe Dragotta, a Sicilian patriot and revolutionary who fought for the unification of Italy. He was born in Palermo in 1820 and participated in the Expedition of the Thousand led by Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860, which ultimately led to the creation of the Kingdom of Italy.

While the Dragotta surname is found predominantly in Italy, it has also spread to other parts of the world through immigration. Some notable individuals with this surname include Mario Dragotta, an Italian-American artist and sculptor born in 1920, and Antonio Dragotta, an Italian-Canadian businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1924 to 2018.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dragotta

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

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

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

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