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

Pizza, 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 Pizza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pizza in America

Pizza is the 26243rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pizza surname appeared 931 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 Pizza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pizza 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 Pizza

The surname "PIZZA" finds its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the word "pizza," which referred to the traditional Italian flatbread dish. The name likely originated in the regions of Naples or Campania, where the dish was particularly popular.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in a municipal record from the city of Naples, dated 1492, which mentions a certain "Gianfranco Pizza." This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by the end of the 15th century.

During the Renaissance period, the surname appears in various Italian Renaissance artworks and literature. For instance, a fresco in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, painted by Giorgio Vasari in the mid-16th century, depicts a figure identified as "Matteo Pizza" in the background.

The surname also appears in several historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries, including property deeds and tax records from various Italian cities. One notable example is a deed from the city of Pisa, dated 1612, which references a "Lucrezia Pizza" as the owner of a vineyard.

In the 18th century, the surname gained wider recognition with the rise of the Neapolitan scholar and philosopher, Giambattista Pizza (1735-1825). He was a renowned figure in the Enlightenment movement and wrote extensively on topics ranging from philosophy to mathematics.

Another prominent figure with the surname was the Italian painter and sculptor, Francesco Pizza (1841-1912). He was known for his religious artworks, which adorned several churches in Naples and the surrounding regions.

As the centuries progressed, the surname spread beyond Italy to other parts of Europe and the world, carried by Italian immigrants and their descendants. Notable bearers of the name include the American novelist and playwright, Mario Pizza (1907-1998), and the Brazilian footballer, Renato Pizza (born 1967).

While the surname "PIZZA" may have humble origins, it has since become a global name, reflecting the enduring popularity and cultural significance of the iconic Italian dish from which it derives its name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pizza

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

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

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

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