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

Pecoraro, 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 Pecoraro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pecoraro in America

Pecoraro is the 9652nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pecoraro surname appeared 3,362 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Pecoraro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pecoraro 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 Pecoraro

The surname Pecoraro originates from Italy, specifically from the Italian word "pecora," which means "sheep." This name likely emerged during the medieval period, referring to someone who tended or herded sheep for a living.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Pecoraro can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, such as Sicily, Calabria, and Campania. The name was often associated with rural areas where sheep farming was a common occupation.

In the 14th century, the name Pecoraro appeared in several historical documents, including tax records and property deeds. For instance, a certain Giovanni Pecoraro was mentioned in a land transfer document dated 1387 in the town of Palermo, Sicily.

During the Renaissance period, the Pecoraro family gained prominence in various parts of Italy. One notable figure was Francesco Pecoraro, a renowned architect from Naples who lived from 1505 to 1582. He was responsible for designing several churches and palaces in the city, including the Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Pecoraro family settled in the town of Marsala, Sicily. This branch produced several notable individuals, including Vincenzo Pecoraro (1622-1698), a respected jurist and scholar known for his contributions to the study of Roman law.

Another prominent figure with the surname Pecoraro was Giuseppe Pecoraro (1785-1849), a Sicilian painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his religious works and portraiture. His paintings can be found in various churches and museums across Sicily.

In the 19th century, the Pecoraro name was associated with the Italian unification movement. Gaetano Pecoraro (1818-1892), a patriot and soldier, fought alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Expedition of the Thousand, which played a crucial role in the unification of Italy.

Throughout history, the surname Pecoraro has been found in various spellings, such as Pecoraio, Pecorajo, and Pecorari, reflecting regional variations and linguistic changes over time. Additionally, the name has been linked to certain place names, such as Pecoraro Scanio, a town in the province of Salerno, Italy, which likely derived its name from the presence of sheep herders in the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pecoraro

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

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

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

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