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

Perrotta, 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 Perrotta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perrotta in America

Perrotta is the 8817th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perrotta surname appeared 3,713 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 Perrotta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perrotta 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 Perrotta

The surname Perrotta has its origins in Italy, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "perrotta," meaning "small pear." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who resembled a small pear or was associated with pear cultivation.

The earliest recorded instances of the Perrotta surname can be found in historical documents from the 14th and 15th centuries in regions like Campania, Calabria, and Sicily. These areas were known for their fertile lands and thriving agriculture, including the cultivation of various fruits like pears.

In the 16th century, there are records of a noble family named Perrotta in the city of Naples. One prominent member was Gian Domenico Perrotta, a renowned jurist and legal scholar who lived from 1525 to 1597. He authored several influential works on civil and ecclesiastical law during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure bearing the Perrotta name was Tommaso Perrotta, a 17th-century painter from Naples who specialized in landscapes and religious scenes. His works can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.

During the 18th century, the Perrotta surname appeared in various historical records from the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily. One notable individual was Raffaele Perrotta, a philosopher and theologian born in Cosenza, Calabria, in 1738. He was known for his writings on metaphysics and ethics.

In the 19th century, the Perrotta name gained further recognition with the birth of Francesco Saverio Perrotta, a renowned Italian philologist and classical scholar. Born in Venosa, Basilicata, in 1867, he made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Latin literature.

Throughout its history, the Perrotta surname has been associated with various professions, including law, art, philosophy, and academia. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Italy, the name has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perrotta

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

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

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

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