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

Passanisi, 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 Passanisi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Passanisi in America

Passanisi is the 41657th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Passanisi surname appeared 522 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 Passanisi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Passanisi 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 Passanisi

The surname Passanisi originates from Italy, specifically the island of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged around the 11th or 12th century during the Norman conquest of the island. The name is derived from the Latin phrase "passare nisu," which means "to pass with effort" or "to strive to overcome." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was known for their perseverance and determination.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Passanisi can be found in a document from the town of Modica in the province of Ragusa, Sicily, dated back to the 13th century. The document mentions a certain Guglielmo Passanisi, who was a landowner in the region.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Passanisi was Tommaso Passanisi, a poet and scholar from Palermo. He was widely acclaimed for his contributions to Sicilian literature and his work in preserving the island's cultural heritage.

During the 15th century, the Passanisi family gained prominence in the city of Catania, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One member of the family, Giovanni Passanisi, was a respected merchant who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.

In the 16th century, the name Passanisi appeared in records from the town of Noto, where a branch of the family had settled. One notable figure from this period was Filippo Passanisi, a renowned architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and buildings in the region.

Another significant figure with the surname Passanisi was Vincenzo Passanisi, a 17th-century painter from Palermo. His works, which often depicted religious scenes and portraits, can still be found in various churches and galleries across Sicily.

As the centuries passed, the Passanisi family continued to spread across different parts of Sicily, with members engaging in various professions and contributing to the cultural and economic development of the island. While the exact origins of the name may remain shrouded in mystery, its enduring presence in Sicilian history is a testament to the perseverance and determination attributed to its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Passanisi

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Passanisi, 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!