2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Potito
An Italian surname likely referring to someone small or little.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Potito. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Potito surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Potito in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Potito, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Potito
The surname "POTITO" is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Campania and Lazio, during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Italian word "potito," which means "small" or "little," likely referring to a person's physical stature or perhaps their position within a family or community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "POTITO" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of Cava dei Tirreni in Campania, dating back to the 11th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Potitus" and "Putitus," suggesting its evolution over time.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Giovanni POTITO was mentioned in historical records as a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Sorrento, located in the Province of Naples. His family's influence and wealth were significant during that period, contributing to the spread and recognition of the surname.
During the Renaissance, a celebrated painter and fresco artist named Girolamo POTITO (1497-1573) gained fame for his works adorning churches and palaces in Rome and Naples. His artistic legacy helped to further establish the surname's presence in the Italian artistic and cultural spheres.
In the 17th century, a renowned scholar and philosopher named Antonio POTITO (1618-1692) made significant contributions to the field of natural philosophy. His treatises and teachings at the University of Naples helped to solidify the name's association with intellectual pursuits.
Another notable figure was Vincenzo POTITO (1801-1876), a prominent politician and statesman who served as the Minister of Interior for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in the mid-19th century. His involvement in the Italian unification movement and his political influence further cemented the surname's historical significance.
Throughout the centuries, the surname "POTITO" has been associated with various professions and social classes, from merchants and artists to scholars and politicians, reflecting the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture. While its origins may be humble, the name has left an indelible mark across various domains, contributing to the diverse heritage of Italian surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Potito
Among Census respondents with the surname Potito, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Potito bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Potito surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Potito
Potito appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-12 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,598 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+8 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,884 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 20,598 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.3%) | Up 5,884 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Potito surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #143,511 | 3.9% |
| Count | 110 | 118 | 7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Potito bearers went from 110 to 118 (+7.3% change). The surname moved up 5,884 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #143,511.
FAQ
Potito surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Potito?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Potito. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Potito?
Potito ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Potito. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Potito.
Has Potito become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Potito went from 110 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 8 (+7.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Potito?
Among Census respondents with the surname Potito, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Potito in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Potito appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (5.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Potito (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Potito mean?
An Italian surname likely referring to someone small or little. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Potito (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Potito?
See how many people have the last name Potito on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.