2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nucifora
An Italian surname likely derived from the words "noce" (walnut) and "foro" (bore or drill), suggesting an ancestral occupation related to walnut woodworking.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Nucifora. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nucifora 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Nucifora in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nucifora, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nucifora
The surname Nucifora is of Italian origin, specifically from the island of Sicily. It can be traced back to the 15th century and is believed to have originated in the town of Noto, located in the southeastern part of the island.
The name Nucifora is derived from the Latin phrase "nucis fora," which translates to "walnut hole" or "walnut opening." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a walnut grove or a place where walnuts were abundant.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nucifora can be found in the municipal records of Noto from the mid-15th century, where a certain Antonino Nucifora is mentioned as a landowner.
In the 16th century, the Nucifora family gained prominence in the town of Noto, with several members holding important positions within the local government and the church. One notable figure was Giuseppe Nucifora, a wealthy merchant and patron of the arts, who lived from 1540 to 1612.
As the Nucifora family expanded and spread across Sicily, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Nuciforra, Nucifura, and Nucifora. These variations were often the result of local dialects and scribal errors.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Nucifora family settled in the town of Palermo, where they established themselves as prominent landowners and merchants. One of the most well-known members of this branch was Vincenzo Nucifora (1650-1718), who served as a magistrate and was known for his efforts to improve the city's infrastructure.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the surname Nucifora made significant contributions in various fields. Rosario Nucifora (1778-1854) was a renowned painter and sculptor from Catania, while Francesco Nucifora (1820-1892) was a celebrated poet and playwright from Palermo.
Another notable figure was Carmelo Nucifora (1856-1933), a lawyer and politician who played a crucial role in the unification of Italy and served as a member of the Italian Parliament.
As the Nucifora family continued to spread across Italy and beyond, they maintained a strong presence in their ancestral homeland of Sicily. The surname Nucifora remains a recognizable and respected name in the region to this day.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nucifora
Among Census respondents with the surname Nucifora, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nucifora 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 Nucifora surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino6.0% · 7
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nucifora
Nucifora 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,104 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 129 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 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,104 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 129 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 Nucifora 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 | #144,141 | #144,270 | -0.1% |
| Count | 115 | 117 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nucifora bearers went from 115 to 117 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 129 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #144,270.
FAQ
Nucifora surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nucifora?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Nucifora. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Nucifora?
Nucifora ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 117 people with the surname Nucifora. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Nucifora.
Has Nucifora become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nucifora went from 115 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Nucifora?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nucifora, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Nucifora in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nucifora appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (6.0%), Black (0.9%). 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 Nucifora (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 Nucifora mean?
An Italian surname likely derived from the words "noce" (walnut) and "foro" (bore or drill), suggesting an ancestral occupation related to walnut woodworking. 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 Nucifora (0.04 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 Nucifora?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Nucifora is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.