2000
#2,978
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.12
Uncommon Last name
Palumbo
An Italian occupational surname referring to a person who raised or kept doves or pigeons.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,838 Americans carry the last name Palumbo. That puts it at #3,386 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.45 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,954 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palumbo 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 Palumbo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,954
Census rank
#3,386
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,323 bearers of the surname Palumbo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.45 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3386th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palumbo, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palumbo
Among Census respondents with the surname Palumbo, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Palumbo 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 Palumbo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 9,474
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 485
- Two or more races2.2% · 228
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 86
- Black or African American0.3% · 36
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palumbo
Palumbo 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
#3,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,005
-117 bearers (-1.1%)
Per 100,000 3.73
Rank movement Down 307 places
2020
#3,386
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,323
-682 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 3.45
Rank movement Down 101 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,978 | 11,122 | 4.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,285 | 11,005 | 3.73 | -117 bearers (-1.1%) | Down 307 places |
| 2020 | #3,386 | 10,323 | 3.45 | -682 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 101 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 Palumbo 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 | #3,285 | #3,386 | -3.1% |
| Count | 11,005 | 10,323 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.73 | 3.45 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palumbo bearers went from 11,005 to 10,323 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 101 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,285 to #3,386.
FAQ
Palumbo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palumbo?
Name Census estimates that about 11,838 living Americans carry the surname Palumbo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,954 residents.
How common is Palumbo?
Palumbo ranks #3,386 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.45 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,323 people with the surname Palumbo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,838), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.45 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.45 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Palumbo.
Has Palumbo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palumbo went from 11,005 recorded bearers to 10,323. That is a decrease of 682 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,285 to #3,386.
What does the Census say about the background of Palumbo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palumbo, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Palumbo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (9,474 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palumbo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Hispanic (4.7%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Palumbo (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 Palumbo mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to a person who raised or kept doves or pigeons. 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 Palumbo (3.45 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 Americans have the surname Palumbo?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.