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

Ferlito, 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 Ferlito surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferlito in America

Ferlito is the 74826th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferlito surname appeared 258 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 Ferlito.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferlito 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 Ferlito

The surname Ferlito originates from Italy, specifically from the region of Sicily. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "ferlitus," meaning "fertile" or "productive." The earliest recorded instance of this surname dates back to the 14th century in the town of Ferla, located in the province of Syracuse, Sicily.

Ferlito is a toponymic surname, meaning it is derived from a place name. In this case, the name likely originated from the town of Ferla, which was known for its fertile lands and agricultural productivity. The town's name itself is thought to have stemmed from the Latin word "ferula," referring to a type of plant or reed that grew abundantly in the area.

During the medieval period, the Ferlito surname appeared in various official records and manuscripts, particularly those related to land ownership and taxation. One notable reference is found in the "Riveli" (cadastral records) of the Kingdom of Sicily, where several families with the surname Ferlito were documented as landowners in the region.

The earliest known bearer of the Ferlito surname was Niccolò Ferlito, born around 1320 in Ferla, Sicily. He was a prominent landowner and farmer in the area. Another notable individual was Giovanni Ferlito, a wealthy merchant from Palermo, who lived in the 15th century and traded goods throughout the Mediterranean region.

In the 16th century, the Ferlito family gained prominence in the town of Aci Castello, near Catania, Sicily. Vincenzo Ferlito (1520-1598) was a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Sicilian court system. His son, Tommaso Ferlito (1560-1630), was a renowned poet and playwright who contributed to the literary Renaissance in Sicily.

During the 17th century, the Ferlito surname spread beyond Sicily to other parts of Italy. Giacomo Ferlito (1635-1709) was a skilled architect from Naples who designed several notable churches and palaces in the city. In the 18th century, Giuseppe Ferlito (1720-1795) was a respected physician and professor of medicine at the University of Palermo.

As the Ferlito surname continued to spread throughout Italy and beyond, various variations in spelling emerged, such as Ferlitti, Ferletta, and Ferletti. However, the original Sicilian spelling of Ferlito remained prevalent among families tracing their roots back to the town of Ferla and the surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferlito

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

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

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

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