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

Pizzo, 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 Pizzo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pizzo in America

Pizzo is the 10193rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pizzo surname appeared 3,161 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 Pizzo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pizzo 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 Pizzo

The surname Pizzo has its origins in Italy, with the earliest known records dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Italian word "pizzo," which means "lace" or "fringe." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive surname to someone involved in the lace-making or textile industry.

The name Pizzo is particularly prevalent in the southern regions of Italy, especially in the provinces of Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia, where it has deep roots. Some of the earliest records of the name can be found in various historical documents from these areas, including church records and municipal archives.

One notable historical reference to the name Pizzo can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Barese," a collection of documents relating to the city of Bari, dating back to the 11th century. This compilation includes several mentions of individuals bearing the surname Pizzo, indicating the presence of the name in southern Italy during that time period.

The town of Pizzo, located in the province of Vibo Valentia, Calabria, is believed to have played a significant role in the propagation of the surname. It is possible that the name was originally derived from this place name, with individuals migrating from the town and carrying the surname with them to other parts of Italy and beyond.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Pizzo are Giovanni Pizzo (born around 1320), a merchant from Reggio Calabria, and Niccolò Pizzo (born circa 1380), a renowned sculptor from the same region, known for his intricate works in marble.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Pizzo. These include Francesco Pizzo (1610-1689), a Baroque painter from Naples renowned for his religious works; Girolamo Pizzo (1739-1811), an Italian historian and author from Palermo, Sicily; and Giuseppe Pizzo (1784-1865), a prominent lawyer and politician from Reggio Calabria, who served as a deputy in the Neapolitan Parliament.

Other notable figures with the surname Pizzo include Pietro Pizzo (1810-1891), an Italian sculptor from Catania, Sicily, known for his works in marble and terracotta; and Marco Pizzo (1885-1962), an Italian painter and illustrator from Reggio Calabria, whose works depicted scenes from the folklore and traditions of his native Calabria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pizzo

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

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

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

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