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

Piscitelli, 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 Piscitelli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Piscitelli in America

Piscitelli is the 12531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Piscitelli surname appeared 2,473 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 Piscitelli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Piscitelli 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 Piscitelli

The surname Piscitelli originated in Italy, with its earliest known origins traced back to the medieval period in the southern regions of Campania and Basilicata. The name is derived from the Italian word "piscitello," which means "small fish," suggesting a connection to the fishing industry or proximity to bodies of water.

During the Middle Ages, the name Piscitelli appeared in several historical documents and records from the Kingdom of Naples and the surrounding areas. One notable mention is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval charters from the Benedictine monastery of Cava de' Tirreni, dating back to the 11th century.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Piscitelli family relocated to the town of Fontanarosa, in the province of Avellino, where they became landowners and established themselves as a prominent local family. Historical records from this period include mentions of individuals such as Pietro Piscitelli (born c. 1320) and Giacomo Piscitelli (c. 1375-1440), who held influential positions in the town's administration.

As the Piscitelli name spread across Italy, variations in spelling emerged, including Piscitelli, Piscitello, and Piscitella. These variations often reflected regional dialects and local pronunciation of the name. One notable individual from this era was Giovanni Piscitella (c. 1480-1555), a renowned painter and architect from Naples.

In the 18th century, the Piscitelli family gained further prominence with the birth of Nicola Piscitelli (1718-1798), a celebrated Italian jurist and legal scholar. His treatise on feudal law, "Trattato dei Feudi," published in 1755, became a seminal work in the field.

Another notable figure was Giuseppe Piscitelli (1834-1912), an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Italian Parliament and played a significant role in the unification of Italy. He was born in Potenza, Basilicata, and his contributions to the nation's legal and political spheres earned him widespread recognition.

Throughout history, the Piscitelli name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, politicians, and professionals. While the name's origins lie in the fishing industry and coastal regions of southern Italy, it has since spread across the country and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on Italian history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Piscitelli

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

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

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

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