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

Palumbo, 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 Palumbo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Palumbo in America

Palumbo is the 3285th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Palumbo surname appeared 11,005 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Palumbo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Palumbo 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 Palumbo

The surname Palumbo originated in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of the country. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "palumbus," which means "wood pigeon." The name likely referred to a person who either kept or hunted these birds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Palumbo can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni region of Campania, dating back to the 11th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Palumbo," "Palombo," and "Palumbi."

In the 13th century, a notable figure with the name Palumbo was Matteo Palumbo, a jurist and judge from the city of Amalfi. He played a significant role in the development of maritime law during that time period.

The surname Palumbo also has connections to several place names in Italy. For instance, there is a town called Palombara Sabina, located in the province of Rome, which may have derived its name from the Italian word "palombo," meaning "wood pigeon."

Another notable individual with the surname Palumbo was Girolamo Palumbo, a Neapolitan painter who lived during the 16th century. He was known for his religious works and was a member of the Mannerist school of painting.

In the 17th century, Domenico Palumbo was a renowned Italian architect and engineer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Naples, including the Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano.

During the 19th century, Giuseppe Palumbo was an Italian politician and journalist. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was a vocal advocate for the unification of Italy.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Raffaele Palumbo was a prominent Italian archaeologist and historian. He made significant contributions to the study of ancient Roman ruins and artifacts, particularly in the city of Pompeii.

Overall, the surname Palumbo has a rich history in Italy, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It has been associated with various professions, from law and art to politics and archaeology, and has left an indelible mark on Italian culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Palumbo

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

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

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

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