2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pezzello
A surname derived from the Italian word "pezzo" meaning piece or fragment.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Pezzello. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pezzello 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Pezzello in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pezzello, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pezzello
The surname Pezzello originates from Italy, specifically in the regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "pezzo," meaning "piece" or "fragment," likely referring to a small parcel of land or property.
The earliest known record of the name Pezzello can be traced back to the 13th century in the town of Messina, Sicily. It appeared in various medieval documents and records, often spelled as "Pezzello," "Pezello," or "Peczello."
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Francesco Pezzello was mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Palermo, Sicily. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during that time period.
During the Renaissance era, the Pezzello family gained prominence in the coastal town of Reggio Calabria, located in the southern region of Calabria. One of the earliest recorded members was Giovanni Pezzello, born in 1492, who was a successful silk trader and benefactor of the local church.
In the 17th century, the name Pezzello appeared in the historical records of the town of Catania, Sicily. One of the notable individuals was Matteo Pezzello, born in 1623, who was a respected doctor and author of several medical treatises.
Another significant figure was Vincenzo Pezzello, born in 1745 in the village of Giarre, Sicily. He was a renowned artist and sculptor, known for his intricate works in marble and his contributions to the local churches and public buildings.
In the 19th century, the Pezzello family had established roots in various parts of Sicily and Calabria. Giuseppe Pezzello, born in 1812 in Messina, was a renowned lawyer and political activist who played a crucial role in the Italian unification movement.
Throughout history, the surname Pezzello has been associated with various professions, including merchants, landowners, artists, doctors, and professionals. While not as widespread as some other Italian surnames, it has maintained a strong presence in its regions of origin, particularly in Sicily and Calabria.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pezzello
Among Census respondents with the surname Pezzello, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Pezzello 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 Pezzello surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pezzello
Pezzello 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
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,103 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-8 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,306 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 7,103 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 8,306 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 Pezzello 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 | #149,446 | -5.9% |
| Count | 118 | 110 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pezzello bearers went from 118 to 110 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 8,306 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #149,446.
FAQ
Pezzello surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pezzello?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Pezzello. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Pezzello?
Pezzello ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 110 people with the surname Pezzello. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Pezzello.
Has Pezzello become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pezzello went from 118 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Pezzello?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pezzello, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Pezzello in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pezzello appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Hispanic (2.7%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Pezzello (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 Pezzello mean?
A surname derived from the Italian word "pezzo" meaning piece or fragment. 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 Pezzello (0.04 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 have the last name Pezzello?
Find out how common the surname Pezzello is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.