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

Massaro, 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 Massaro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Massaro in America

Massaro is the 6651st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Massaro surname appeared 5,089 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Massaro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Massaro 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 Massaro

The surname Massaro has its origins in Italy, specifically in the regions of Campania and Sicily. It can be traced back to the Middle Ages, around the 13th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "massaro," which means a landowner or a tenant farmer.

In medieval times, the Massaro family held significant landholdings and played a prominent role in the agricultural sector. Some historical records indicate that members of the Massaro family were mentioned in various land ownership documents and property transactions during this period.

One of the earliest known references to the Massaro name can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Naples, where several individuals bearing this surname were listed as landowners and farmers.

As the surname spread across Italy, regional variations in spelling emerged, such as Massari, Massaro, and Massari. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and pronunciation differences.

Notable individuals with the surname Massaro include Pietro Massaro (1524-1598), a renowned Italian architect and sculptor who contributed to the design of several churches and palaces in Naples during the Renaissance period.

Another prominent figure was Giovanna Massaro (1606-1678), a Sicilian noblewoman and philanthropist who established several charitable institutions in Palermo to support the underprivileged.

In the 18th century, Antonio Massaro (1718-1792) was a respected Italian jurist and legal scholar who authored several influential works on civil law and served as a judge in the Kingdom of Naples.

Moving into the 19th century, Giuseppe Massaro (1820-1892) was an Italian painter and art educator from Naples, known for his landscape paintings and his contributions to the development of the Neapolitan School of Art.

In more recent history, Francesca Massaro (1975-) is an Italian professional tennis player who achieved notable success on the WTA Tour, winning several singles and doubles titles throughout her career.

The Massaro surname has a rich history deeply rooted in the agricultural traditions of Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania and Sicily. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, the name has endured and spread across various parts of the country, with individuals bearing this surname making significant contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Massaro

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

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

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

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