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

Pagano, 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 Pagano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pagano in America

Pagano is the 4186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pagano surname appeared 8,465 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Pagano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pagano 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 Pagano

The surname Pagano originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "paganus," meaning "villager" or "peasant." The name was initially given as a nickname to someone who lived in a rural area or had a rustic appearance.

In the 11th century, the name Pagano appeared in historical records from the southern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Naples and Salerno. It was common among families living in small villages and working as farmers or agricultural laborers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pagano can be found in a manuscript from the Benedictine monastery of Montecassino, dated around 1075. The document mentions a certain "Pagano de Capua," who was likely a landowner or noble from the city of Capua.

During the 13th century, the surname spread to other parts of Italy, such as Tuscany and Umbria. In the city of Perugia, there are records of a prominent family named Pagano, which included a notable jurist and diplomat, Pellegrino Pagano (1230-1298).

Another notable bearer of the surname was the Italian philosopher and jurist Mario Pagano (1748-1799), who played a significant role in the Neapolitan Republic of 1799. He was a proponent of Enlightenment ideals and advocated for political and social reforms.

In the 16th century, the surname Pagano was also found in the region of Calabria, where the town of Pagano (now known as Palermiti) was named after a family bearing this surname.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Pagano include:

1. Girolamo Pagano (1619-1678), an Italian painter and architect from Naples.
2. Vincenzo Pagano (1772-1847), an Italian composer and music teacher from Naples.
3. Emanuele Pagano (1796-1874), an Italian mathematician and astronomer from Palermo.
4. Nicola Pagano (1807-1891), an Italian painter and printmaker from Naples.
5. Giuseppe Pagano (1896-1945), an Italian architect and urban planner from Naples.

The surname Pagano has remained prevalent in various regions of Italy, particularly in the southern regions, where it originated. While its meaning has evolved over time, it still carries the connotation of a rural or rustic background.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pagano

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

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

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

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