Palmero last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Palmero

Referring to someone from a place abundant with palm trees.

Palmero, 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 Palmero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Palmero in America

Palmero is the 32123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Palmero surname appeared 718 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Palmero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Palmero 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 32123 34757 -7.88%
Count 718 615 15.45%
Proportion per 100k 0.24 0.23 4.26%

The history of the last name Palmero

The surname Palmero originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Campania and Sicily, during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "palma," meaning "palm tree," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near palm trees or worked with palm-related products.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Palmero can be found in the Sicilian Rolls of 1282, where a certain Matteo Palmero is mentioned as a landowner in the town of Palermo. This suggests that the name was already established in the area by the 13th century.

In the 15th century, the Palmero family gained prominence in the city of Naples. Records from this period mention a nobleman named Giovanni Palmero, who held significant influence and wealth in the region. The family's coat of arms, featuring a palm tree, further reinforces the connection between the surname and its botanical origins.

During the Renaissance, the name Palmero appeared in various literary works and historical documents. In 1501, a poet named Antonio Palmero was mentioned in a collection of sonnets published in Naples. Additionally, a renowned painter from the 16th century, Girolamo Palmero, was celebrated for his religious works adorning several churches in Campania.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Palmero was Francesco Palmero, a Sicilian scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of natural sciences. His works on botany and astronomy were widely acclaimed during his lifetime (1620-1687).

Another prominent individual with the surname Palmero was Vincenzo Palmero, a Neapolitan composer and musician who lived in the 18th century (1737-1804). His compositions for the opera and church choirs were highly regarded and performed throughout Italy during his time.

As the centuries progressed, the Palmero surname continued to be associated with various professions and regions within Italy. While the name's etymology can be traced back to the Latin word "palma," its historical significance and cultural connections are deeply rooted in the Italian heritage, particularly in the regions of Campania and Sicily.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Palmero

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

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 Palmero was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 33.57% 241
Non-Hispanic Black Only 2.79% 20
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 9.05% 65
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 53.34% 383

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 Palmero has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 33.57% 41.79% -21.82%
Black 2.79% 3.09% -10.20%
Asian and Pacific Islander 9.05% 6.99% 25.69%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 1.79% (S)%
Hispanic 53.34% 46.34% 14.04%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Palmero last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 20, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/palmero-surname-popularity/.

"Palmero last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/palmero-surname-popularity/. Accessed 20 March, 2025

Palmero last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/palmero-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.