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

Polito, 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 Polito surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Polito in America

Polito is the 8228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Polito surname appeared 4,032 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 Polito.

We can also compare 2010 data for Polito 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 Polito

The surname Polito is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "politus," meaning "polished" or "refined," suggesting a possible connection to an ancestor's occupation as a skilled craftsman or artisan.

The earliest known references to the Polito name can be found in historical records from the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy in northern Italy, where the name was particularly prevalent during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who exhibited a refined or polished demeanor or worked in trades that involved polishing or finishing products.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Polito surname appears in the "Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis," a collection of medieval charters from the Cava de' Tirreni abbey in Campania, dating back to the late 11th century. The name is also found in various municipal records and cadastral maps from cities like Turin, Milan, and Genoa during the Renaissance period.

Among the notable individuals who bore the Polito surname in history is Giovanni Polito (1483-1561), a renowned Italian architect and sculptor from Padua. His works include the Church of Santa Maria dei Servi in Padua and the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. Another prominent figure was Francesco Polito (1615-1677), a Baroque painter from Naples known for his religious works and portraits.

In the 18th century, Giuseppe Polito (1720-1795) was a prominent mathematician and engineer from Palermo, Sicily, who made significant contributions to the field of hydraulics and the design of aqueducts. Another notable Polito was Gerolamo Polito (1783-1858), an Italian politician and jurist who served as the Minister of Justice in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

During the 19th century, the Polito surname gained further recognition with the birth of Cesare Polito (1835-1905), an Italian politician and businessman from Turin. He played a crucial role in the development of the Fiat automobile company and served as a member of the Italian Senate.

While the Polito surname has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, primarily due to immigration patterns. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the regions of northern Italy and the Italian peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Polito

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

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

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

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