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

Perillo, 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 Perillo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perillo in America

Perillo is the 11624th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perillo surname appeared 2,698 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 Perillo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perillo 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 Perillo

The surname Perillo is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated in Southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania and Calabria. The name is derived from the Italian word "perillo," which means "small pear."

During the Middle Ages, it was common for surnames to be derived from nicknames or physical characteristics. The surname Perillo was likely given to someone who bore a resemblance to a small pear, either in their appearance or personality traits. Alternatively, it could have been a reference to someone who cultivated or traded in pears.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Perillo can be found in Italian historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, a record from the city of Naples in 1275 mentions a person named Giulio Perillo, who was a merchant involved in the trade of fruits and vegetables.

Another notable early bearer of the surname was Francesco Perillo, a 14th-century Neapolitan artist renowned for his intricate fresco paintings adorning the walls of several churches in the region. His works, particularly those in the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore in Naples, are considered masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.

In the 16th century, the surname Perillo appeared in the historical records of the town of Cosenza in Calabria. A notable figure was Tommaso Perillo, a prominent lawyer and judge who played a significant role in the legal reforms of the region during that time.

During the 17th century, a family of Perillo silversmiths gained recognition for their exquisite craftsmanship in Naples. Their intricate silver pieces were highly sought after by the nobility and the wealthy, and their creations can still be found in museums and private collections.

Another noteworthy individual was Giuseppe Perillo, an 18th-century Italian composer and musician from Naples. His compositions, particularly his operas and chamber music, were renowned throughout Italy and Europe during his lifetime.

As the centuries passed, the Perillo surname spread across various regions of Italy and beyond, with descendants carrying the name to other parts of the world through migration and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perillo

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

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

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

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