2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Palmaccio
A surname likely originating from the Italian term for "little palm" or "little palm tree".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Palmaccio. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palmaccio 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
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Palmaccio in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmaccio, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palmaccio
The surname Palmaccio originated in Italy during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "palma" meaning palm tree, likely referring to an area or location with an abundance of palm trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Palmaccio can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Barese, a collection of historical documents from the city of Bari in southern Italy, dating back to the 11th century. This suggests that the name may have originated in the region of Apulia, where Bari is located.
Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, various spelling variations of the name began to emerge, such as Palmacci, Palmaccio, and Palmazzi. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in handwritten records.
In the 14th century, records show a notable figure named Giovanni Palmaccio, a wealthy merchant and landowner from the city of Salerno. His descendants continued to use the Palmaccio surname, and it spread throughout the regions of Campania and Basilicata.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Francesco Palmaccio, a renowned painter from Naples who lived during the late 16th century. His works can still be found in several churches and galleries throughout southern Italy.
During the 17th century, a branch of the Palmaccio family emigrated to Sicily, where they established themselves in the town of Palma di Montechiaro. This local connection may have further reinforced the association between the surname and the palm tree.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Antonio Palmaccio was a respected lawyer and judge in the city of Bari. He played a significant role in the legal system of the Kingdom of Naples during that time.
Another individual of note was Vincenzo Palmaccio, a military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars during the early 19th century. He was born in the town of Caserta in 1785 and gained recognition for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Throughout its history, the surname Palmaccio has maintained a strong presence in various regions of southern Italy, particularly in Apulia, Campania, Basilicata, and Sicily. While its exact origins may remain uncertain, the surname's connection to the palm tree and its regional roots in Italy have persisted over centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palmaccio
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmaccio, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Palmaccio 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 Palmaccio surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.9% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palmaccio
Palmaccio appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-12 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 6,874 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 6,874 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 Palmaccio 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 | #149,395 | #156,269 | -4.6% |
| Count | 110 | 98 | -10.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palmaccio bearers went from 110 to 98 (-10.9% change). The surname moved down 6,874 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #156,269.
FAQ
Palmaccio surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palmaccio?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Palmaccio. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Palmaccio?
Palmaccio ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 98 people with the surname Palmaccio. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Palmaccio.
Has Palmaccio become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palmaccio went from 110 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Palmaccio?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palmaccio, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Palmaccio in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palmaccio appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.9%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Palmaccio (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 Palmaccio mean?
A surname likely originating from the Italian term for "little palm" or "little palm tree". 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 Palmaccio (0.03 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 Palmaccio?
You can see how many people have the last name Palmaccio on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.