2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fusilli
A surname derived from the Italian word for "twisted" or "spiral-shaped," possibly referring to a pasta maker or seller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Fusilli. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fusilli 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Fusilli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fusilli, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fusilli
The surname "FUSILLI" is of Italian origin, and it can be traced back to the late 15th century in the regions of Campania and Lazio. The name is derived from the Italian word "fusilli," which refers to a type of spiral-shaped pasta. This suggests that the name may have originated as a nickname or occupational surname for someone who produced or sold this particular pasta variety.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "FUSILLI" can be found in a document from the year 1497, which mentions a certain Girolamo Fusilli, a pasta maker from the town of Gragnano, near Naples. This town has a long-standing reputation for producing high-quality pasta, which could indicate that the Fusilli family played a role in this tradition.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various records from the Papal States, particularly in the city of Rome. One notable bearer of the name was Antonio Fusilli, a renowned architect who worked on several projects commissioned by the Catholic Church, including the renovation of the Basilica of St. Peter in the late 1500s.
During the 17th century, the name "FUSILLI" spread to other parts of Italy, such as Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. A famous bearer of the name from this period was Gian Battista Fusilli, a poet and playwright born in Pisa in 1635. His works were widely acclaimed and performed in various theaters across Italy.
In the 18th century, the "FUSILLI" name gained prominence in the region of Calabria, where a family of landowners and merchants bearing this surname established themselves. One of the most notable members was Giuseppe Fusilli (1725-1798), a successful businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in his hometown of Reggio Calabria.
Another significant figure with the surname "FUSILLI" was Vincenzo Fusilli (1845-1912), a lawyer and politician from Naples who served as a member of the Italian Parliament in the late 19th century. He was known for his advocacy of workers' rights and his efforts to improve the living conditions of the underprivileged.
While the name "FUSILLI" has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its connection to the spiral-shaped pasta and its historical ties to the Italian food industry and culture remain a key part of its etymology and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fusilli
Among Census respondents with the surname Fusilli, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Fusilli 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 Fusilli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fusilli
Fusilli 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-15 bearers (-12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 25,675 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,442 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -15 bearers (-12.9%) | Down 25,675 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 4,442 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 Fusilli 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 | #159,712 | #155,270 | 2.8% |
| Count | 101 | 101 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fusilli bearers went from 101 to 101 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 4,442 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #155,270.
FAQ
Fusilli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fusilli?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Fusilli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Fusilli?
Fusilli ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Fusilli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Fusilli.
Has Fusilli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fusilli went from 101 recorded bearers to 101. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Fusilli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fusilli, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.0%). 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 Fusilli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fusilli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (3.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.0%). 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 Fusilli (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 Fusilli mean?
A surname derived from the Italian word for "twisted" or "spiral-shaped," possibly referring to a pasta maker or seller. 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 Fusilli (0.03 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 many Americans have the surname Fusilli?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.