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

Principe, 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 Principe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Principe in America

Principe is the 13741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Principe surname appeared 2,202 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 Principe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Principe 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 Principe

The surname Principe is of Italian origin and can be traced back to the late Middle Ages in Italy. The name is derived from the Italian word "principe," which means "prince" or "ruler." It was likely initially given as a nickname or title to someone who held a position of authority or nobility, or who exhibited regal qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Principe surname can be found in the archives of the Republic of Venice, where a certain Nicolo Principe is mentioned in a document from the year 1352. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 14th century in the Venetian region of northeastern Italy.

The Principe name also appears in historical records from other parts of Italy, such as Sicily and Calabria, where it may have been introduced by Italian nobles or ruling families. In the 15th century, there are records of a noble family bearing the name Principe in the town of Palermo, Sicily.

One notable individual with the surname Principe was Giovanni Battista Principe (1588-1663), an Italian painter and engraver from the city of Palermo. He was known for his religious works and is considered one of the most significant Baroque artists in Sicily.

Another notable figure was Francesco Principe (1592-1666), an Italian philosopher and mathematician from Naples. He made important contributions to the field of optics and is credited with discovering the principle of least time in the refraction of light.

In the 19th century, there was a famous Italian composer named Giovanni Principe (1825-1906), who was known for his operas and other musical works. He was born in Naples and spent much of his career in Italy and France.

The Principe surname can also be found in historical records from Spain, where it may have been introduced by Italian immigrants or through Spanish noble families with Italian connections. For example, there was a Spanish painter named Juan Bautista Principe (1556-1626) who was active in Seville during the Golden Age of Spanish art.

Throughout its history, the surname Principe has been associated with nobility, authority, and cultural significance, reflecting its origins as a title or nickname for those who held positions of power or exhibited regal qualities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Principe

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

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

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

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