2000
#109,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 150
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Pacula
A surname potentially derived from the Romanian word "pâclă" meaning damp or moisture.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 193 Americans carry the last name Pacula. That puts it at #111,467 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,775,929 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pacula 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
193
1 in 1,775,929
Census rank
#111,467
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
168
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 168 bearers of the surname Pacula in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 111467th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pacula, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pacula
The surname Pacula is believed to have originated in the region of Central Italy, specifically in the areas surrounding Rome and Lazio. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word "pacula," which translates to "small cup" or "goblet." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with occupations related to wine-making or serving.
During the Middle Ages, the Pacula name appeared in various Italian records and documents, indicating its presence in the region for several centuries. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the 13th-century manuscript "Codice Diplomatico della Città di Roma," which mentions a certain Petrus Pacula residing in the city.
As the name spread across Italy, variations in spelling emerged, such as Paccula, Paccola, and Pacola. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the scribes who recorded the name. Additionally, some records from the 15th century indicate that the name was associated with certain localities, such as the town of Pacola near Frosinone.
Among the notable individuals bearing the Pacula surname throughout history, one can mention:
1. Giovanni Pacula (1520-1592), a renowned Italian painter and fresco artist from Rome, known for his works in churches and palaces across the city.
2. Lucrezia Pacula (1670-1745), a celebrated Roman opera singer who performed in various courts and theaters across Europe during the Baroque period.
3. Antonio Pacula (1785-1862), an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Papal States' Council of Ministers in the mid-19th century.
4. Emilio Pacula (1865-1932), a prominent Italian archaeologist and historian who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Roman civilization through his excavations and publications.
5. Adriana Pacula (1910-1985), an acclaimed Italian actress and theater director, renowned for her performances in numerous plays and films throughout the 20th century.
While the Pacula name has maintained a presence in Italy over the centuries, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange, carrying with it the rich history and heritage of its Italian origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pacula
Among Census respondents with the surname Pacula, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Pacula 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 Pacula surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 155
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 7
- Two or more races3.6% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pacula
Pacula 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
#115,034
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 152
+2 bearers (+1.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 5,706 places
2020
#111,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 168
+16 bearers (+10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 3,567 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #109,328 | 150 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #115,034 | 152 | 0.05 | +2 bearers (+1.3%) | Down 5,706 places |
| 2020 | #111,467 | 168 | 0.06 | +16 bearers (+10.5%) | Up 3,567 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 Pacula 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 | #115,034 | #111,467 | 3.1% |
| Count | 152 | 168 | 10.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.06 | 12.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pacula bearers went from 152 to 168 (+10.5% change). The surname moved up 3,567 positions in the national ranking, going from #115,034 to #111,467.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Pacula
FAQ
Pacula surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pacula?
Name Census estimates that about 193 living Americans carry the surname Pacula. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,775,929 residents.
How common is Pacula?
Pacula ranks #111,467 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 168 people with the surname Pacula. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (193), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Pacula.
Has Pacula become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pacula went from 152 recorded bearers to 168. That is an increase of 16 (+10.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #115,034 to #111,467.
What does the Census say about the background of Pacula?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pacula, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Pacula in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (155 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pacula appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Pacula (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 Pacula mean?
A surname potentially derived from the Romanian word "pâclă" meaning damp or moisture. 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 Pacula (0.06 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 many people have the surname Pacula?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.