2000
#6,854
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,522
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.68
Rare Last name
Macaluso
An Italian occupational surname referring to a person who made or sold a type of cheese.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,941 Americans carry the last name Macaluso. That puts it at #7,458 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 69,369 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Macaluso 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
4.9K
1 in 69,369
Census rank
#7,458
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,309 bearers of the surname Macaluso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7458th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Macaluso, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Macaluso
The surname Macaluso has its origins in the Italian island of Sicily, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Greek word "kalos," meaning "beautiful," and the Latin prefix "mac," which signifies "son of." This combination suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon the offspring of someone who possessed remarkable physical attributes or a distinguished character.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Macaluso name can be found in the Sicilian town of Palermo, where a certain Giovanni Macaluso was mentioned in a legal document dated 1342. This historical record not only confirms the surname's presence during that era but also hints at the family's potential influence within the local community.
Throughout the centuries, the Macaluso name has undergone various spelling variations, such as Macalusso, Macalusa, and Macalusi, reflecting the linguistic fluidity of the time and regional dialects. Interestingly, the name shares similarities with the Sicilian place name "Macaluba," which may indicate a connection to a specific geographical location or the family's ancestral origins.
Among the notable individuals who have carried the Macaluso surname, one can mention Vincenzo Macaluso (1778-1846), a prominent Sicilian painter known for his exquisite religious artworks adorning several churches in Palermo and surrounding areas. Another figure of historical significance was Giuseppe Macaluso (1809-1879), a renowned Sicilian lawyer and politician who played a pivotal role in the Risorgimento, the movement that ultimately led to the unification of Italy.
In the realm of literature, the name Macaluso gained recognition through the works of Salvatore Macaluso (1901-1981), a celebrated Sicilian poet and playwright whose verses captured the essence of the island's vibrant culture and traditions. His literary contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Viareggio Prize in 1949.
Moving into the modern era, one cannot overlook the impact of Emanuele Macaluso (1924-2021), a prominent Italian politician and trade unionist who served as the Secretary-General of the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) from 1970 to 1986. His tireless efforts in advocating for workers' rights and social justice have left an indelible mark on Italy's political and labor landscapes.
Throughout its long and storied history, the Macaluso surname has been carried by individuals from diverse walks of life, each leaving their unique imprint on the annals of time. From artists and politicians to poets and labor leaders, this name has transcended geographic boundaries and cultural divides, serving as a testament to the rich tapestry of human experiences interwoven within its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Macaluso
Among Census respondents with the surname Macaluso, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Macaluso 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 Macaluso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 3,935
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 232
- Two or more races2.2% · 95
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 34
- Black or African American0.3% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Macaluso
Macaluso 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
#7,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,542
+20 bearers (+0.4%)
Per 100,000 1.54
Rank movement Down 485 places
2020
#7,458
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,309
-233 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 1.44
Rank movement Down 119 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,854 | 4,522 | 1.68 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,339 | 4,542 | 1.54 | +20 bearers (+0.4%) | Down 485 places |
| 2020 | #7,458 | 4,309 | 1.44 | -233 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 119 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 Macaluso 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 | #7,339 | #7,458 | -1.6% |
| Count | 4,542 | 4,309 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.54 | 1.44 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Macaluso bearers went from 4,542 to 4,309 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 119 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,339 to #7,458.
FAQ
Macaluso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Macaluso?
Name Census estimates that about 4,941 living Americans carry the surname Macaluso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 69,369 residents.
How common is Macaluso?
Macaluso ranks #7,458 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,309 people with the surname Macaluso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,941), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.44 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Macaluso.
Has Macaluso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Macaluso went from 4,542 recorded bearers to 4,309. That is a decrease of 233 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,339 to #7,458.
What does the Census say about the background of Macaluso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Macaluso, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Macaluso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (3,935 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Macaluso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (5.4%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Macaluso (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 Macaluso mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to a person who made or sold a type of cheese. 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 Macaluso (1.44 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 common is the surname Macaluso?
See how many people have the last name Macaluso on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.