2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Panessa
An Italian surname derived from the word "pane" meaning "bread", possibly referring to a baker or someone associated with bread-making.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Panessa. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Panessa 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Panessa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Panessa, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Panessa
The surname PANESSA is of Italian origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy, where it was likely a locative name derived from a specific place or geographical feature.
One possible derivation of the name PANESSA could be from the Italian word "pane," meaning bread, combined with the suffix "-essa," suggesting a connection to a bakery or a place where bread was produced. This theory aligns with the agricultural and artisanal traditions of the region.
Historical records indicate that the name PANESSA appeared in various documents from the 13th century onwards. For instance, a certain Giacomo PANESSA is mentioned in a land registry from the city of Bergamo, dated 1276, suggesting the presence of this surname in the area during that time.
In the 14th century, the name PANESSA gained prominence with the birth of Bartolomeo PANESSA (1325-1392), a notable scholar and theologian from Milan. His writings on theology and philosophy were widely circulated and influential during the Renaissance period.
Another notable figure bearing the surname PANESSA was Girolamo PANESSA (1567-1638), a renowned painter from the town of Cremona. His works, predominantly religious in nature, adorned several churches and monasteries throughout northern Italy, showcasing the artistic talent associated with this surname.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the PANESSA family established itself as a prominent merchant dynasty in the city of Venice. Records from the Venetian archives mention several members of the family engaged in international trade, particularly with the Ottoman Empire and the Levant region.
In the 18th century, a branch of the PANESSA family migrated to the island of Sicily, where they became known for their expertise in viticulture and wine production. The name PANESSA is still found in various Sicilian towns and villages, reflecting the family's deep roots in the region.
Throughout history, the surname PANESSA has been associated with various professions, including scholars, artists, merchants, and landowners, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Panessa
Among Census respondents with the surname Panessa, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Panessa 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 Panessa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 95
- Two or more races4.0% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Panessa
Panessa 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+8 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,383 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-17 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,130 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.3%) | Down 1,383 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 14,130 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 Panessa 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 | #141,140 | #155,270 | -10.0% |
| Count | 118 | 101 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Panessa bearers went from 118 to 101 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 14,130 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #155,270.
FAQ
Panessa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Panessa?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Panessa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Panessa?
Panessa ranks #155,270 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 101 people with the surname Panessa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), 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 Panessa.
Has Panessa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Panessa went from 118 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Panessa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Panessa, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Panessa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Panessa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Panessa (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 Panessa mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word "pane" meaning "bread", possibly referring to a baker or someone associated with bread-making. 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 Panessa (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 many people are called Panessa?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Panessa, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.