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

Maresca, 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 Maresca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maresca in America

Maresca is the 15763rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maresca surname appeared 1,849 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Maresca.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maresca 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 Maresca

The surname Maresca is of Italian origin, first appearing in records from the 14th century in the southern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Naples and Campania. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "mare" meaning "sea" and may have been an occupational name for someone who lived near the sea or worked in a maritime profession.

One of the earliest known records of the Maresca name can be found in the historic Catasto Onciario, a tax record compiled in 1445 in the Kingdom of Naples. This document lists several individuals with the surname Maresca residing in various towns and villages across the region.

In the 16th century, the Maresca family was well-established in the city of Naples, with several members holding prominent positions in the local government and clergy. One notable figure was Fabio Maresca, a renowned jurist and author who lived from 1565 to 1639 and wrote extensively on legal matters.

During the 17th century, the name Maresca spread to other parts of Italy, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in regions such as Lazio, Tuscany, and Piedmont. One notable bearer of the name was Girolamo Maresca, a painter active in Rome in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, known for his religious works and frescoes.

In the 18th century, the Maresca family continued to hold a prominent position in Naples, with several members serving as high-ranking officials and military leaders. One such individual was Francesco Maresca, a nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Neapolitan Republic of 1799.

Another notable bearer of the Maresca name was Pietro Maresca, a prominent lawyer and politician who lived from 1834 to 1908. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was active in the Italian Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification and independence.

Over the centuries, the Maresca surname has also appeared in various place names across Italy, such as the town of Maresca in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, and the Maresca district in the town of Cava de' Tirreni, near Naples.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maresca

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

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

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

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