2000
#9,662
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,086
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.14
Rare Last name
Palazzo
An Italian topographic surname indicating someone who lived in or near a palace or large, impressive house.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,375 Americans carry the last name Palazzo. That puts it at #10,423 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,557 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palazzo 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Palazzo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 101,557
Census rank
#10,423
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,943 bearers of the surname Palazzo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10423rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palazzo, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palazzo
The surname Palazzo originates from Italy, deriving from the Italian word "palazzo" meaning "palace" or "mansion." This name likely emerged during the medieval period, potentially indicating a connection to an individual who resided in or worked at a palace or grand residence.
The earliest recorded instances of the Palazzo surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Veneto, and Lombardy. In some cases, the name may have been adopted by families who lived in or near a locality known as "Palazzo," which was a common place name in various parts of Italy.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the Palazzo surname was Bartolomeo Palazzo, a prominent merchant and banker from Florence who lived in the late 13th century. He was known for his involvement in the city's thriving wool trade and his financial dealings with influential families such as the Medicis.
In the 14th century, records show a notable figure named Giovanni Palazzo, who was a skilled architect and engineer from Genoa. He is credited with the design and construction of several notable buildings and fortifications in the region, including the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, which remains an iconic landmark to this day.
During the Renaissance period, the Palazzo surname gained further prominence with the artist and sculptor Antonio Palazzo, born in Venice in 1460. His works, which included intricate sculptures and architectural embellishments, adorned numerous churches and palaces across Italy, reflecting the artistic and cultural achievements of the era.
Another significant figure bearing the Palazzo surname was Giulio Palazzo, a 16th-century humanist scholar and poet from Naples. His literary works, which encompassed poetry, philosophy, and historical texts, earned him recognition among the intellectual circles of his time.
In the 17th century, the Palazzo name can be found in the records of the Papal States, where a prominent family of that name held influential positions within the Catholic Church. Cardinal Ludovico Palazzo, born in 1620, was a notable figure who served as a diplomat and advisor to several popes during his ecclesiastical career.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the Palazzo surname who have left their mark throughout history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with this Italian name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palazzo
Among Census respondents with the surname Palazzo, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Palazzo 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 Palazzo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 2,672
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 164
- Two or more races2.3% · 69
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 21
- Black or African American0.6% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palazzo
Palazzo 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
#10,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,203
+117 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Down 402 places
2020
#10,423
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,943
-260 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Down 359 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,662 | 3,086 | 1.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,064 | 3,203 | 1.09 | +117 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 402 places |
| 2020 | #10,423 | 2,943 | 0.98 | -260 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 359 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 Palazzo 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 | #10,064 | #10,423 | -3.6% |
| Count | 3,203 | 2,943 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.09 | 0.98 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palazzo bearers went from 3,203 to 2,943 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 359 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,064 to #10,423.
FAQ
Palazzo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palazzo?
Name Census estimates that about 3,375 living Americans carry the surname Palazzo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,557 residents.
How common is Palazzo?
Palazzo ranks #10,423 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,943 people with the surname Palazzo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,375), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.98 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.98 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Palazzo.
Has Palazzo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palazzo went from 3,203 recorded bearers to 2,943. That is a decrease of 260 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,064 to #10,423.
What does the Census say about the background of Palazzo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palazzo, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Palazzo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (2,672 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palazzo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (5.6%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Palazzo (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 Palazzo mean?
An Italian topographic surname indicating someone who lived in or near a palace or large, impressive house. 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 Palazzo (0.98 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 last name Palazzo?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Palazzo, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.