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

Pignataro, 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 Pignataro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pignataro in America

Pignataro is the 25935th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pignataro surname appeared 947 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 Pignataro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pignataro 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 Pignataro

The surname Pignataro originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "pignata," which means "earthenware pot" or "cooking pot." The name likely referred to someone who made or sold these types of pottery items.

The earliest recorded instances of the Pignataro surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Campania and Basilicata in southern Italy. Variations of the spelling include Pignatari, Pignatari, and Piniataro.

In the 14th century, records show a Pignataro family residing in the town of Caivano, located near Naples. The name also appears in historical documents from the nearby city of Acerra during this time period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Pignataro surname was Giovanni Pignataro, a potter and merchant who lived in the town of Cava de' Tirreni in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Girolamo Pignataro, a renowned artist and sculptor from Naples who was active in the early 16th century.

During the Renaissance era, the Pignataro name gained prominence in the Kingdom of Naples. In 1592, a Pignataro family was granted a coat of arms by the Spanish Crown, which ruled over the region at the time.

In the 17th century, the surname Pignataro can be found in records from the town of Salerno, where a family of that name owned a successful pottery business. One member, Antonio Pignataro (1625-1698), was a renowned ceramicist whose works were highly sought after by nobility and the Church.

Another individual of note was Tommaso Pignataro (1752-1826), a lawyer and magistrate from the city of Avellino who played a significant role in the administration of justice during the Napoleonic era in southern Italy.

Throughout the centuries, the Pignataro surname has maintained a strong presence in the regions of Campania, Basilicata, and neighboring areas, reflecting its Italian origins and connections to the pottery and ceramic industries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pignataro

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

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

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

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