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

Modiano, 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 Modiano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Modiano in America

Modiano is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Modiano surname appeared 133 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 Modiano.

The history of the last name Modiano

The surname Modiano has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Emilia-Romagna. It is believed to have emerged during the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "modio," which refers to a unit of measurement for grain or other agricultural products. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in agricultural activities or perhaps even worked as merchants dealing with grains.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Modiano can be found in a document from the city of Modena, dated back to the year 1235. The document mentions a certain "Giacomo Modiano," who was a landowner in the region. This provides evidence that the name was already well-established in the area during that time period.

Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, the Modiano family seems to have maintained a presence in various parts of northern Italy. In the 16th century, there are records of a prominent merchant named Giovanni Battista Modiano, who was based in Venice and engaged in trade with the Ottoman Empire.

As the centuries passed, members of the Modiano family dispersed to other regions of Italy and beyond. In the late 18th century, a notable figure named Giuseppe Modiano (1744-1820) made a name for himself as a successful banker and financier in the city of Trieste, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Another prominent individual with the surname Modiano was Enrico Modiano (1858-1935), an Italian painter and sculptor who was born in Venice but spent much of his career in Paris. He is known for his works depicting scenes from Venetian life and his sculptures inspired by classical themes.

In the 20th century, one of the most renowned figures with the surname Modiano was the Italian writer and Nobel laureate, Franco Modiano (1923-2003). He was born in Rome and is considered one of the most important literary voices of post-war Italy, renowned for his novels and short stories that explored themes of memory, identity, and the human condition.

Other notable individuals with the surname Modiano include the French writer Patrick Modiano (born 1945), who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2014, and the Italian businessman and philanthropist Gianni Modiano (1929-2013), who was instrumental in promoting cultural and educational initiatives in Italy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Modiano

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

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 Modiano 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.

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

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

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